Couple killed in plane crash

SANDPOINT — A couple with strong ties to Bonner County was killed Tuesday in a plane crash in the mountains of Central America.

George Simchuk and his wife, Colleen, were killed when their small plane crashed into a mountain near the village of El Carrizal, Guatemala, according to published media accounts.

An online post by the Aviation Safety Network post said the Cessna T210L Turbo Centurion that the couple was in crashed amid poor visibility. The plane departed from Tapachula, Mexico, and was bound for Roatán, Honduras, the ASN database said.

George Simchuk was 65 and Colleen was 58, according to a Spanish-language Associated Press account published in Miami’s el Neuvo Herald.

A spokesman for the fire department which responded to the crash said it occurred in a roadless area that was difficult to access. The area was shrouded in heavy rain and fog, although mechanical failure had not been ruled out.

George Simchuk said in his Facebook profile that “flying has always been a passion” and had once worked for Flying Medical Service, an organization based in Arusha, Tanzania. During his missions, he regularly flew to a number of airstrips in the African bush to deliver medical supplies and care providers.

“He was a very accomplished pilot,” said Brody Conklin, a lifelong friend from Spokane.

Conklin said he was unaware of the purpose of the couple’s travels in Latin America at the time of the crash.

On the business-oriented social networking service LinkedIn, Simchuk said that after a successful career as a mining engineer, he decided to pursue a number of lifelong ambitions, which included climbing to the summit of 19,341-foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He also explored Uganda and Kenya through a series of camping safaris.

Simchuk was also an avid photographer and skier.

“He skied all his life. That’s how I met him back in high school in Spokane,” said Conklin, adding that Simchuk’s father, Al, operated Simchuk Sporting Goods in downtown Spokane.

Simchuk, who lived in Bonner County part-time, was also known to locals who frequent the slopes of Schweitzer Mountain Resort.