Surviving pilot in Idaho midair collision is aviation professor in central Washington

The surviving pilot of a deadly midair collision involving two small private planes in central Idaho is an aviation professor at Central Washington University.

Authorities say 52-year-old Amy Hoover of Ellensburg, Washington, landed her plane in a grassy area after the Monday morning collision about 30 miles east of Cascade. The other plane crashed and caused a small fire.

Hoover was taken by air ambulance to a McCall hospital, where she was treated and released. She is chair of the university's aviation department and owner of Canyon Flying, a backcountry flying company.

Hoover was flying alone, as was the pilot of the other plane, who died following the collision several miles from a backcountry airstrip.

The Valley County coroner has recovered the body but has not released a name.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.