Incident Details
On May 28, 2016, about 1257 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, registered as N739ZE, is presumed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean approximately 5 miles north of Avalon, California. The aircraft was owned by Libra Air Inc. and operated by Encore Flight Academy as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The certified flight instructor and student pilot have not been located, and the airplane is missing and presumed destroyed. Both pilots are presumed to be fatally injured.
Flight History
The airplane departed Catalina Airport (AVX) in Avalon, California, about 1254, and was destined for Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in Van Nuys, California. No flight plan had been filed. Review of radar data indicated that the airplane had earlier departed from VNY and landed safely at AVX at 1209. At 1254, the airplane took off from AVX with its transponder in the off position and flew north. At 1257, the radar track ends over the water 5 miles north of AVX.
Weather Conditions
Both instrument and visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time. A weather study revealed that when the airplane arrived at AVX, conditions included 8 miles visibility and an overcast ceiling of 500 feet above ground level (agl). Four minutes prior to departure from AVX, weather reported 9 miles visibility and a broken ceiling at 800 feet agl, with remarks noting the ceiling varied between 600 feet and 1000 feet agl. Additionally, satellite imagery indicated a thick marine layer just north of AVX, in the vicinity of the presumed accident location.
Reporting and Search Efforts
On May 29, 2016, a concerned family member of the student pilot contacted the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) to report the student pilot missing. The family member stated that the student pilot had gone flying with an instructor the day prior and had not been heard from since. The LASD contacted Encore Flight Academy, which reported that the accident airplane was not at their facility and that they had no record of its return the previous day. The NTSB made numerous attempts to contact the operator, but received no response; the operator did not submit a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1). The U.S. Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and private entities conducted a search along the apparent route of flight, but no wreckage was found. An oil slick consistent with drift models was present in the area where the radar track ended. The pilots and airplane remain missing.