Background
A certificated private pilot departed a rural airport in Alaska on a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight along remote, coastal terrain without filing a flight plan. The pilot intended to reach a planned destination in Michigan, with a possible intermediate stop in the Seattle, Washington, area. When the airplane failed to arrive at either location, it was reported overdue ten days after departure.
Discovery of Fuel Tank
The day after the airplane departed, a wing-mounted auxiliary fuel tank was found in the Port Angeles, Washington, area. Coast Guard personnel from Port Angeles conducted a search for other debris but found none. At that time, the fuel tank was not linked to any missing aircraft report because no flight plan had been filed, and Coast Guard and FAA personnel in the Seattle area had no reports of overdue airplanes.
Linking the Fuel Tank to the Missing Airplane
After the airplane was reported overdue, FAA personnel in Alaska recalled the report of the fuel tank being found in the Seattle area. The missing airplane report and the fuel tank were eventually linked together. Family members positively identified the fuel tank as belonging to the accident airplane. The pilot is presumed to have received fatal injuries.
Search Efforts
Following the identification, an additional search was conducted, but no other parts of the airplane have been located. Weather data for the Port Angeles area on the presumed day of the accident included a widespread area of rain showers.