Downed plane found in Southern California mountain

A San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy was identified Sunday as one of two people killed when a small plane crashed into a Southern California mountain.

The bodies of Rebecca Joan Raymond, 28, and an unidentified man were found Sunday morning after searchers found a downed plane in a remote part of Big Bear Mountain, about 95 miles northeast of Los Angeles, the sheriff's department said in a statement.

A helicopter crew had been looking for the pair after authorities received a call Saturday that they didn't reach their destination at Apple Valley Airport.

The two were aboard a Cessna 172 Skyhawk that had taken off from Big Bear City Airport and crashed under unknown circumstances, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.

Raymond had been with the department for almost a year and was assigned to the sheriff's station in Barstow.

"It's a tragic and sad day for all of us," the department said. "May God watch over her parents."

The man's name has not been released pending notification of next of kin. A friend told KABC-TV he was Raymond's boyfriend.

Debbie Payne told the station the couple had rented a plane for the weekend to go to Big Bear to celebrate their anniversary, and he had proposed to her.

The cause of the crash was under investigation.

(ABC)