Incident Overview
On August 20, 2022, about 2100 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172, registration N9670V, departed Watts-Woodland Airport (O41) in Woodland, California. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual for a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was not located and is presumed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean.
Search Efforts
On August 21, 2022, about 0750, family members reported the missing pilot and airplane to local law enforcement. Responding officers found the pilot's vehicle parked next to the airplane's wheel chocks at O41. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice (ALNOT) about 1730. Law enforcement contacted the California Office of Emergency Services Region 5 for search assistance. About 1644, the United States Air Force informed law enforcement that a cell and radar team had tracked an airplane believed to be N9670V. At about 1845, the Air Force reported that the United States Coast Guard was searching the area of the last radar target. The ALNOT was cancelled on August 22, 2022.
According to uncorrelated radar data from the U.S. Air Force, at 2108 a radar target was tracked approximately 8 miles south of O41 on a westerly heading. The flight path continued about 144 miles from the California coastline over the Pacific Ocean. The last known location of the radar target at 2336 was 38 degrees 31.11 minutes north latitude and 125 degrees 55.45 minutes west longitude.
Pilot's Background
The pilot's girlfriend and son reported that the pilot had been depressed. About 1800 on the day of the flight, the girlfriend and the pilot had a disagreement. The pilot phoned her at 1940 and said he was upset with life and that he was not coming back. The girlfriend reported to law enforcement that during the call it sounded like the pilot was in his airplane. She received a text message about 2147 from the pilot stating "270 to infinity. I love you!"