Disappearance and Initial Search
On March 15, 1982, a pilot departed from Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), Mobile, Alabama, in a Beech C24R, N18878. The flight plan was to pick up two passengers at Louisiana Regional Airport, Gonzales, Louisiana, and transport them to Waynesboro Municipal Airport (2RO), Waynesboro, Mississippi. After dropping off the passengers, the pilot intended to return to MOB.
When the pilot did not arrive at MOB that evening, his wife contacted a coworker at the Mobile fixed base operator (FBO). The coworker reported hearing the pilot on the radio attempting to contact the MOB FBO, but there was no answer and no distress was noted in the transmission. The pilot was unable to land due to bad weather in the area. He then flew back to 2RO, telephoned his wife, and advised that he would stay at 2RO until it opened on March 16, then refuel and return to MOB.
Search Efforts
Personnel at 2RO reported that they did not see the pilot's airplane on the morning of March 16, 1982. The pilot's wife contacted local authorities, family, and friends. Organized land and air searches were conducted, and the news media were notified. A woman living near Big Creek Lake called a television station after seeing the report, stating that she heard a small plane in "distress" flying over the lake between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on March 16. A search of the lake was conducted but did not locate the pilot or airplane.
Discovery of the Pilot and Aircraft
On March 28, 1982, a teenage boy fishing in Big Creek Lake discovered a body, later identified as the pilot.
On March 13, 2008, a fisherman using a depth finder/sonar located an aircraft while fishing. He contacted the Mobile Sheriff's Department, and the aircraft was identified as the missing airplane from March 16, 1982.
Examination of the Aircraft
Examination of the aircraft revealed that all flight control surfaces were intact. There was no damage to the propeller, and valve train continuity was established by rotating the propeller. The engine oil sump contained oil. In the cockpit, the flap handle was in the retract position. The engine controls were set as follows: mixture full rich, propeller at maximum rpm, throttle at maximum power, fuel selector on the right tank, and ignition key in the "both" position.
No probable cause was determined by the investigation.