A Hermiston woman, along with two others, died in an airplane crash in a remote area near Ukiah over the weekend.

Janice Davis, 51, of Hermiston, was identified as one of the victims in the crash. The two others found at the scene were identified as Ned Kayser, 53,  and the pilot Gerald Hunter, 74, both of Klickitat County, Wash.

The families of the deceased have been notified.

Kayser and Davis were closely connected to the rodeo world. According to prorodeo.com, Davis and Kayser were on their way to Casper, Wyo., to attend the College National Finals Rodeo. Kayser’s daughter, Kelli, is competing in the finals for Nevada-Las Vegas while two of Davis’ nieces are also competing.

Davis had worked as an administrative assistant in the Hermiston School District for the last 10 years, most recently at Armand Larive Middle School.

She was very beloved, interim superintendent Wade Smith said. She was a wonderful lady. Its a huge loss for the district and our hearts are out to her family.

Prorodeo.com also reported that Davis, the 1981 Miss Rodeo Oregon, comes from an extended family of rodeo competitors. Her sister Mary is married to rodeo champ Butch Knowles; sister Maureen is married to PRCA all-around hand Shane Crossley and sister Joan is married to former PRCA steer wrestler John T. Hays.

Kayser and his brother, Nate, were both tie-down ropers in the Columbia River Circuit for many years.

Their plane was flying to Wyoming from Dallesport, Wash., when it went down sometime around midnight between June 11 and June 12.

The single-engine Bellanca airplane was reported missing at about 4:30 p.m. June 12.

The Civil Air Patrol discovered wreckage of the airplane Sunday, and search and rescue arrived on scene Monday, after U.S. Forest Service personnel helped clear a road to the site.

The cause of the accident was not released as of press time, Monday, June 13.