LAKE COUNTY — The investigation into the plane crash of local winery owner and philanthropist Robert “Budge” Brown continued Monday.
According to a news release by the Amador County Sheriff”s Office, a body was discovered with the wreckage of Brown”s Lancair plane Friday at approximately 3:45 p.m. by members of the department”s Search and Rescue Nordic Team. The wreckage was found outside of the initial search area by a ground team in rugged, snow-covered terrain in the El Dorado National Forest. The wreckage was strewn over a 300-yard area. Personal effects were recovered at the site, including Brown”s passport.
An autopsy was scheduled by the Amador County Sheriff”s Office for Monday to positively identify the body and cause of death. Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner said he had not received the results Monday afternoon.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.
Brown, who resides in Gardnerville, Nev., left Minden-Tahoe Airport in Minden, Nev. at 4 p.m. Wednesday, flying to Tracy to pick up a friend. Authorities were notified after Brown failed to arrive. Brown is a very experienced pilot and had reportedly flown this route hundreds of times. Radar indicated Brown”s plane rapidly descended from 15,000 feet to 12,000 feet. The plane disappeared from radar at an altitude of 11,000 feet.
Brown, 78, owns two California wineries, Tulip Hill Winery in Nice and Cleavage Creek Cellars in Napa”s Pope Valley. Brown opened Tulip Hill in October 2004 with his daughter Kristi. Following his wife Arlene”s death from breast cancer, he started Cleavage Creek in 2005 as his way of fighting breast cancer, donating 10 percent of the sales to breast cancer research and putting photos of survivors on the wine labels.
Loretta Byrne, the chief operating officer at Tulip Hill, said a planned wine and cheese pairing on Saturday at Tulip Hill turned into a celebration of Brown with many people showing up paying their respects. Byrne said the Brown family and everyone at Tulip Hill have been touched by the heartfelt outpouring from the local community.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14.
