WA WA - Ed Jeffko, 72, Tonasket, 23 July 2012 - Missing pilot and plane

[rosesfromangels]

And here it is over two years since my last post on this thread. For some reason, Ed and Claire were on my mind, so I Googled them. Apparently Claire passed away last August. Finally reunited with her Ed.

RIP lovebirds

 

[SFDukie]

Thanks for the update Rose. RIP
I'd say it's odd that his airplane hasn't been found, but the terrain here is as rugged and remote as it gets in the lower 48. Direct path is over North Cascades NP.
FWIW NTSB found no record of him checking weather. Given distance, it was a requirement (over 50 NM is considered a "cross country" as opposed to a local, flight)-most pilots either check with a flight briefer over phone or use a free service (ie DUATs) which provides a record of having met the requirement.
He held certified flight instructor and Instrument flight ratings, had 1200 total hours, and 40in past 6 months prior to presumed fatal accident.
link to NTSB investigation-https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/R...=20120806X11036&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=FAMS

 

[rosesfromangels]

Thanks for the update Rose. RIP
I'd say it's odd that his airplane hasn't been found, but the terrain here is as rugged and remote as it gets in the lower 48. Direct path is over North Cascades NP.
FWIW NTSB found no record of him checking weather. Given distance, it was a requirement (over 50 NM is considered a "cross country" as opposed to a local, flight)-most pilots either check with a flight briefer over phone or use a free service (ie DUATs) which provides a record of having met the requirement.
He held certified flight instructor and Instrument flight ratings, had 1200 total hours, and 40in past 6 months prior to presumed fatal accident.
link to NTSB investigation-https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/R...=20120806X11036&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=FAMS

That’s interesting info. It infers two things to me:
1. Either he had poor judgement prior to the flight (didn’t take customary and routine precautions)
Or
2. He intentionally disappeared.

There is absolutely nothing I have read on this man that would lead me to conclude #2.

I speculate his plane is somewhere within the search region, and will eventually be stumbled upon.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Betty P]

I was just thinking of Ed a few weeks ago. Glad to see his thread back on the current list. So sorry to hear of his wife's passing. She seemed such a sweet woman who missed him so much. Now they are together. Here's hoping the mystery of Ed's disappearance is solved one day, to give peace of mind to his remaining family.

I just plugged the tail number of his plane into FlightAware and came up with this entry. Anyone understand what it means?

N743CA Live Flight Tracking and History (Owner: Unknown Owner) ✈ FlightAware

 

[rosesfromangels]

BTW, here’s Claire’s obituary and a terrific pic of her and Ed:

Council member Jeffko remembered fondly

 

[SFDukie]

I was just thinking of Ed a few weeks ago. Glad to see his thread back on the current list. So sorry to hear of his wife's passing. She seemed such a sweet woman who missed him so much. Now they are together. Here's hoping the mystery of Ed's disappearance is solved one day, to give peace of mind to his remaining family.

I just plugged the tail number of his plane into FlightAware and came up with this entry. Anyone understand what it means?

N743CA Live Flight Tracking and History (Owner: Unknown Owner) ✈ FlightAware

That flight aware track is really odd. I'd guess it's an entry mistake-plane is climbing to SW leaving pattern altitude (consistent with having taken off from Bakersfield). Tracking begins at 1100 ft and LA center (not Bakersfield ATC-the airport tower) is reporting agency. If plane took off from Bakersfield, that would be part of flight track. So my WAG is LA center misheard radio call on handoff from bakersfield tower or someone entered it wrong. Consistent with pilot correcting N number on "callback" is that the track "disappears" in controlled airspace(5 nm radius from bakersfield airport below 3000 ft agl).
For reference, here's the "sectional" map covering that track. Blue dotted line shows the controlled airspace around bakersfield airport. VFRMAP - Digital Aeronautical Charts Flight path was at 220 degrees-SW.

 

[Betty P]

That flight aware track is really odd. I'd guess it's an entry mistake-plane is climbing to SW leaving pattern altitude (consistent with having taken off from Bakersfield). Tracking begins at 1100 ft and LA center (not Bakersfield ATC-the airport tower) is reporting agency. If plane took off from Bakersfield, that would be part of flight track. So my WAG is LA center misheard radio call on handoff from bakersfield tower or someone entered it wrong. Consistent with pilot correcting N number on "callback" is that the track "disappears" in controlled airspace(5 nm radius from bakersfield airport below 3000 ft agl).
For reference, here's the "sectional" map covering that track. Blue dotted line shows the controlled airspace around bakersfield airport. VFRMAP - Digital Aeronautical Charts Flight path was at 220 degrees-SW.

Thanks for that explanation. I'm not even close to being knowledgeable on this subject, but wondered if it was a "typo" or something that was quickly corrected.

RIP to Ed and his wife. Thinking of their family and hope all are doing well.