Casualties unknown

1993-04-18: Lake LA-4 (N7608L) — Superior, WI

Superior, WI, US

On April 18, 1993, a Lake LA-4 (registration N7608L) was involved in an aviation accident near Superior, WI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: undetermined. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot and passenger departed Duluth, Minnesota, on a Saturday afternoon cross-country flight under VMC with no flight plan. After the pilot failed to arrive for work, a search located the passenger's body six days later on Lake Superior shore; the pilot's body was found after about two months. The aircraft was not found and is presumed in Lake Superior.

Background

On a Saturday afternoon, a pilot and a passenger departed Duluth, Minnesota, on a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of departure, and no flight plan was filed for the trip. The aircraft's destination, however, was never reached.

Search Initiation

The pilot failed to arrive for work on the following Monday, prompting a report of his disappearance. A search was subsequently initiated to locate the aircraft and its occupants.

Discovery of the Passenger

Six days after the flight left Duluth, a search party found the body of the passenger on the shore of Lake Superior, east of Superior, Wisconsin. The search efforts were terminated two days later.

Discovery of the Pilot

After approximately two months, the body of the pilot was also discovered, washed up on the same lake shore east of Superior. The aircraft itself was not found and is presumed to be in Lake Superior.

Conclusion

The investigation revealed that the airplane did not reach its intended destination. The wreckage remains unrecovered, and the fate of the flight remains determined solely by the discovery of the occupants' remains.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X12085. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.