Teenage Girl Survives Plane Crash and Walks For Days Through Wilderness to Safety

Autumn Veatch, 16, survived a mountain plane crash that is thought to have killed her grandparents before hiking alone through wilderness "for a couple of days" and flagging down a passing car. 

The forest was thick and terrain craggy on America's west coast. 

Miss Veatch is being treated in hospital with minor injuries following her escape. Authorities have not shared information on her two older relatives who were also in the plane.

It was reported on a local TV station, though, that the pilot of the plane Mr Bowman, 62, and Mrs Bowman, 63, had died in the crash and that Autumn was the sole survivor.

Family raised the alarm after the family didn't arrive at their intended destination.

A rescue mission narrowed down the search to an area near the Canadian border using mobile phone data and typical flight patterns – but drew a blank until Autumn emerged on to a highway.

"Our initial information is she sustained no life-threatening injuries and is somewhat dehydrated due to being out in the elements," said Scott Graham, chief executive Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster, Washington State.

Her father, David Veatch, told reporters outside the hospital he had only found out Autumn was on the plane when he got the call telling him it had gone missing.

He added: "I just, I had a bad feeling about it when they told me what was going on

"I just, I really don't like those smaller planes. I've been on them before. They're scary. They don't feel safe."

Frank Rogers, Okanogan County Sheriff, said that the girl had been "walking for a couple of days" but declined to comment on the status of the other two people who were on board the plane, which is thought to have flown into a bank of clouds.

Rescuers are searching for the wreckage, aided by Autumn's description of the crash site. She remained at the crash site for a day before deciding to hike down, eventually finding a trail and following it to Highway 20.

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