Incident
At 0027, the pilot contacted Boeing Field Tower, reporting his position as 10 miles northwest of the airport and requesting a stop-and-go landing. One minute later, at 0028, the pilot informed the tower that he had lost engine power over Elliott Bay and was attempting to restart the engine. At 0029, radio and radar contact with the aircraft was lost when it was over Puget Sound, approximately half a mile north-northeast of Alki Point.
Search
The United States Coast Guard conducted a search for the aircraft but did not locate it. An oil slick was discovered on the water in the vicinity of the aircraft's last radar position. The aircraft was not recovered, nor was its location ever verified.
Aftermath
Approximately three and a half weeks after the disappearance, the pilot turned himself in to authorities. He was charged with mail fraud, related to false insurance claims he had made for his flying club, and with making a false distress signal in connection with the incident. As part of a plea agreement, the pilot pleaded guilty to both charges.