Washington State Department of Transportation

Aviation News Service

March 3, 2004

Bad Weather Hampers Search for Missing Aircraft

BREMERTON - Washington Air Search and Rescue and Civil Air Patrol volunteers
continue in the search today for a missing 1948 Cessna 170 aircraft,
carrying pilot David Verstrate and passenger Harold Bennett, at the
Bremerton National Airport. The aircraft was reported missing on Sunday
evening when it had failed to return from a private strip in Diamond Point
to Auburn.

Tom Peterson, WSDOT Air Search and Rescue Coordinator, commented that gusty
winds and low ceilings are hampering today's search efforts. Two aircraft
are searching the air while three remain on the ground. Peterson said that
forecasts indicate better weather later this afternoon, around 3pm.
Peterson expects about 10 more aircraft to join in the search when the
weather improves.

Verstrate, an experienced pilot, departed from Auburn on Sunday afternoon
and landed at Diamond Point, near Sequim, with Bennett. A witness reports
seeing the Cessna single-engine plane, N2534V, leave Diamond Point around
4pm on Sunday.

Yesterday's search effort included 21 aircraft, 68 volunteers and 92 hours
of flying time. Family members have gathered at the search site and
expressed their appreciation for the volunteer search effort. Peterson
described yesterday's mission as "very productive." He adds, "We
accomplished a lot in the time we had - thanks to the volunteers. As soon
as the weather permits today, we will be back up there in full force working
just as hard."


Yesterday was a bright sunny day. I spent most of the day teaching ground
reference maneuvers to student pilots, not knowing what was going on. These
search planes were everywhere. I had to really watch out for them.
Unfortunately, the plane is still missing. The terrain between Sequim and
Auburn is heavily forested, rugged and mountainous, and broken up by
numerous inlets and fjords on Puget Sound. There are also a lot of lakes in
the region. Some areas are still covered in snow. Still, the area also has a
lot of people living in it. You would think someone would have seen
something.

I don't know if this plane had an ELT or not, but nothing has been picked
up.

Aircraft from the Washington State Pilots Association, the Civil Air Patrol,
and the Coast Guard have been participating in the search. The search has
been very dangerous, conducted at extremely low level in bad weather. There
are a lot of uncharted power lines, towers, and other obstructions.

--
Christopher J. Campbell
World Famous Flight Instructor
Port Orchard, WA


If you go around beating the Bush, don't complain if you rile the animals.