I read about the 1991 incident. That one seems solveable
by a handheld radio or maybe a cell phone, considering
the pilot walked out. And this is an excellent argument
for requiring handheld radios for contests.

I participated in the '91 search effort - fortunately the pilot
sustained only minor injuries during the crash and was able to extract
himself from the wreckage and walk to safety. Although I feel the
OSTIV-award winning design of the ASW-24 safety cockpit had a lot to do
with the survivability of this crash, an ELT would have certainly
assisted us in the search. I ordered an ELT after this contest.
Tim Gossfeld