Background
A friend of the aircraft's owner and pilot indicated that the pilot had set out on a flight intended for whale observation. Following the pilot's failure to return at the anticipated time, a search was instigated. Subsequent investigation revealed that the aircraft had touched down at Santa Catalina Island.
Radar Tracking and Loss of Contact
Radar information was acquired for the interval around the takeoff. A transponder code associated with VFR flight, presumed to belong to the aircraft in question, was followed as it departed the island. At 1519:19 hours, radar signals from the aircraft ceased while it was situated over the water.
Search and Presumed Fate
The Coast Guard undertook a search effort, but no wreckage was located. Consequently, the aircraft was presumed to have come down in the ocean near Avalon, California. The pilot was presumed to have received fatal injuries. No further details about the aircraft type, registration, or other specifics were provided in the available information.