Found Deceased WA - George Regis, 63, last seen departing Grove Field Airport, Camas, Clark County, 25 Jan 2019

[cybervampira]

Pilot Who Departed Camas Airport Missing; Sheriff’s Office Asks For Help | Lacamas Magazine

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that George Regis, a 63-year-old pilot, who was last seen departing Grove Field Airport in Camas, is listed as missing.

In their press release, authorities say that Regis departed Grove Field Airport (which is located at 632 NE 267th Ave. in the Fern Prairie area) around noon on Friday, January 25, and that he has not been heard from since that departure. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office believes Regis may have been traveling Southwest — to either Arizona or Texas.

His cellular telephone sent a final signal in the Newberg/Dundee, Oregon area on Saturday, January 26. A flight plan was not filed, and is not required of pilots and aircraft departing Grove Field, which is part of the Port of Camas-Washougal.

 

[doodles1211]

Geez... he could be anywhere!

 

[Jim_M]

Pilot Who Departed Camas Airport Missing; Sheriff’s Office Asks For Help | Lacamas Magazine

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that George Regis, a 63-year-old pilot, who was last seen departing Grove Field Airport in Camas, is listed as missing.

In their press release, authorities say that Regis departed Grove Field Airport (which is located at 632 NE 267th Ave. in the Fern Prairie area) around noon on Friday, January 25, and that he has not been heard from since that departure. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office believes Regis may have been traveling Southwest — to either Arizona or Texas.

His cellular telephone sent a final signal in the Newberg/Dundee, Oregon area on Saturday, January 26. A flight plan was not filed, and is not required of pilots and aircraft departing Grove Field, which is part of the Port of Camas-Washougal.

View attachment 166378

I'm a wee bit confused. Why would GR be flying Southwest, if he was heading to AZ or TX? Something to do with weather? Or perhaps airport hopping?

I hope he is found safe, and soon!

 

[PommyMommy]

I'm a wee bit confused. Why would GR be flying Southwest, if he was heading to AZ or TX? Something to do with weather? Or perhaps airport hopping?

I hope he is found safe, and soon!

That is a good question. I would also like to know whose plane he was flying. I am unable to find one registered to him. I do see his pilot certificate here, last medical 4/2017, corrective lenses required. FAA Registry - Airmen - AirmenInquiry - Name Search

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/george.regis3

Newberg, OR is just an hour drive from Camas, WA so he hadn't been in the air long when his phone sent its final signal. Google Maps

 

[LotsaLatte]

I think that last phone signal was the day after he took off. That is a little alarming if his phone was only as far away from Camas as the Newberg/Dundee area the next day. We have so many hills and mountains around the northwest, I am hoping he didn't crash There are a few airparks around the area so I was thinking he may have landed at one of them but I am sure all the airparks were checked.

 

[j_in_c]

Pilot Who Departed Camas Airport Missing; Sheriff’s Office Asks For Help | Lacamas Magazine

.....
His cellular telephone sent a final signal in the Newberg/Dundee, Oregon area on Saturday, January 26. A flight plan was not filed, and is not required of pilots and aircraft departing Grove Field, which is part of the Port of Camas-Washougal.
View attachment 166378

I had no idea flight plans were optional (but I am not a pilot)! I can see if you are just going on a sightseeing loop or putting in hours for practice, but if you have plans to fly to another state? I hope if his plane did crash and he survived that he was able to get to safety.

 

[GraceG]

That is a good question. I would also like to know whose plane he was flying. I am unable to find one registered to him. I do see his pilot certificate here, last medical 4/2017, corrective lenses required. FAA Registry - Airmen - AirmenInquiry - Name Search

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/george.regis3

Newberg, OR is just an hour drive from Camas, WA so he hadn't been in the air long when his phone sent its final signal. Google Maps

That is a good question. I would also like to know whose plane he was flying. I am unable to find one registered to him. I do see his pilot certificate here, last medical 4/2017, corrective lenses required. FAA Registry - Airmen - AirmenInquiry - Name Search

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/george.regis3

Newberg, OR is just an hour drive from Camas, WA so he hadn't been in the air long when his phone sent its final signal. Google Maps

Most pilots, for liability reasons, don't register their aircraft under their names. Most set up a corporation or an LLC and are then listed as "owner". The address listed as his on his medical in the FAA registry is the same address that shows up in Flight Aware for the "N" number of the airplane so he is the owner.

 

[GraceG]

I had no idea flight plans were optional (but I am not a pilot)! I can see if you are just going on a sightseeing loop or putting in hours for practice, but if you have plans to fly to another state? I hope if his plane did crash and he survived that he was able to get to safety.

No flight plans are required when flying interstate (I'm a pilot of 42 years). Most non-commercial pilots don't even file ones any more if the weather is decent. You can get radar "flight following" with Air Traffic Control which will send out search and rescue a LOT quicker than if you file a flight plan and forget to close it. They know exactly where you went missing in that case as they are "following" you on radar your whole flight until you cancel (flight plans just tell them when you should be landing and closing the plan, they have no clue where you actually went missing). The weather was good that day as far as storms (piper air safety dot com historical radar) but you have an older pilot whose health is unknown with an older airplane and flying over somewhat coastal terrain with unknown cloud cover or morning fog (common this time of year) all of which carry risks.

 

[PommyMommy]

I think that last phone signal was the day after he took off. That is a little alarming if his phone was only as far away from Camas as the Newberg/Dundee area the next day. We have so many hills and mountains around the northwest, I am hoping he didn't crash There are a few airparks around the area so I was thinking he may have landed at one of them but I am sure all the airparks were checked.

Well geez, I completely missed that the phone signal was the next day. Thank you for pointing that out.

Most pilots, for liability reasons, don't register their aircraft under their names. Most set up a corporation or an LLC and are then listed as "owner". The address listed as his on his medical in the FAA registry is the same address that shows up in Flight Aware for the "N" number of the airplane so he is the owner.

Thank you, good to have a pilot on this one! There is some information about the plane in this article:

Airplane pilot missing after flying from Camas-area airport
The plane’s aircraft number is N1332J and described in Federal Aviation Administration records as a 1975 Rockwell International 112A four-seat, fixed wing, single-engine plane. Regis has had an active private pilot license since September 2016, federal records show.

 

[PommyMommy]

Pilot missing after taking off from Grove Field
"It's always a good idea to be on a flight plan," aviation expert Tom Young told KOIN 6 News. "If you're not on a flight plan at all, you may or may not be found."

Young said planes flying in busy airspace are required to have a transponder but there's no word on if Regis has one on board.

Young said it's likely authorities are going through the FAA to see if any other airports have had contact with the pilot.

"There's also the chance that he could be parked on a ridge someplace hoping someone comes along and finds him, which is going to be really difficult because if you don't know where someone is, you don't know where to look," Young said.

No one at Regis' Battle Ground home wanted to speak about his disappearance.

 

[PommyMommy]

Pilot missing after taking off from Camas airfield
Deputies told KATU News his wife reported him missing Monday. Investigators were able to look at security camera video from the airport that showed Regis's plane taking off.

Waddell said Regis's wife believed her husband may be visiting a friend in Arizona.

"Deputies have been contacting the friend. The friend hasn’t heard from him since last week," he told KATU News.

According to public records, Regis has had a pilot's license for close to 20 years.


Pilot missing after taking off from Grove Field Airport in Camas
George Regis, 63, departed around noon from the airport, 632 N.E. 267th Ave., in a 1975 Rockwell Commander 112A — a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft — and may have been headed toward Arizona or Texas, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

 

[GraceG]

Pilot missing after taking off from Grove Field
"It's always a good idea to be on a flight plan," aviation expert Tom Young told KOIN 6 News. "If you're not on a flight plan at all, you may or may not be found."

Young said planes flying in busy airspace are required to have a transponder but there's no word on if Regis has one on board.

Young said it's likely authorities are going through the FAA to see if any other airports have had contact with the pilot.

"There's also the chance that he could be parked on a ridge someplace hoping someone comes along and finds him, which is going to be really difficult because if you don't know where someone is, you don't know where to look," Young said.

No one at Regis' Battle Ground home wanted to speak about his disappearance.

I got my single engine commercial license at Battle Ground. I'm in his age bracket and though I didn't personally know him (though I'd probably seen him around as I sometimes pop in to say hello when I visit my Dad in Longview), I understand their wish for his privacy.

The airplane given the model likely had a transponder. Was he using it? Unknown.

"Parked on a ridge?" Planes can't just land and park on a ridge. Maybe a lightweight bush plane with tundra tires and a very low stall speed, but the plane he was flying has the glide ratio of a Grand Piano and a fairly high landing speed for a single airplane, if he's on a ridge it's because of a crash. Survivable? Certainly, but he just didn't "park" someplace. And you have a MUCH better chance of being found on flight following as they will know instantly and exactly where you went missing to launch a search. A flight plan? They won't even begin searching for up to an hour you were supposed to have landed and then have to search the ENTIRE route. Granted 10 years ago Mr. Young's info was correct, but with the ATC technology today, most pilots I know use flight following NOT flight plans for VFR flights unless they are in a remote area with no ATC coverage.

As to the discrepancy to when his license was issued (2016 per the FAA Airman's database) to when it was reported originally issued (20 years ago) There are two reasons for this. If a pilot adds an instrument rating or a multi-engine rating to his or her private pilot certificate it will show the date the rating was ADDED to his private. He does not hold an instrument rating or a multi rating. The other reason. If a pilot is involved in an accident or incident the FAA may require them to take what they call a 44709 checkride (the 44709 refers to the federal law under which recertification is completed - U.S. Code 44709 - Amendments, modifications, suspensions, and revocations of certificates) to "recertify" their license to continue their airman privileges. Or they can revoke the certificate completely and a year later the pilot has to take a checkride as if it is the original one.

FOIA would show if this airman was involved in an incident or accident requiring recertification.

 

[PommyMommy]

I got my single engine commercial license at Battle Ground. I'm in his age bracket and though I didn't personally know him (though I'd probably seen him around as I sometimes pop in to say hello when I visit my Dad in Longview), I understand their wish for his privacy.

The airplane given the model likely had a transponder. Was he using it? Unknown.

"Parked on a ridge?" Planes can't just land and park on a ridge. Maybe a lightweight bush plane with tundra tires and a very low stall speed, but the plane he was flying has the glide ratio of a Grand Piano and a fairly high landing speed for a single airplane, if he's on a ridge it's because of a crash. Survivable? Certainly, but he just didn't "park" someplace. And you have a MUCH better chance of being found on flight following as they will know instantly and exactly where you went missing to launch a search. A flight plan? They won't even begin searching for up to an hour you were supposed to have landed and then have to search the ENTIRE route. Granted 10 years ago Mr. Young's info was correct, but with the ATC technology today, most pilots I know use flight following NOT flight plans for VFR flights unless they are in a remote area with no ATC coverage.

As to the discrepancy to when his license was issued (2016 per the FAA Airman's database) to when it was reported originally issued (20 years ago) There are two reasons for this. If a pilot adds an instrument rating or a multi-engine rating to his or her pilot certificate it will show the date the rating was ADDED to his private. He does not hold an instrument rating or a multi rating. The other reason. If a pilot is involved in an accident or incident the FAA may require them to take what they call a 44709 checkride (the 44709 refers to the federal law under which recertification is completed - U.S. Code 44709 - Amendments, modifications, suspensions, and revocations of certificates) to "recertify" their license to continue their airman privileges. Or they can revoke the certificate completely and a year later the pilot has to take a checkride as if it is the original one.

FOIA would show if this airman was involved in an incident or accident requiring recertification.

Wow, thank you for your insight. You are a wealth of information! What is your gut telling you here?
MOO

 

[GraceG]

Wow, thank you for your insight. You are a wealth of information! What is your gut telling you here?
MOO

Look for a private message. What I know can't be substantiated except through FOIA so not posting.

 

[GraceG]

Wow, thank you for your insight. You are a wealth of information! What is your gut telling you here?
MOO

Most likely he took a shortcut over rising terrain with possible low cloud cover (CFIT - controlled flight into terrain). If he'd had an engine failure or other mechcnical issue he should have had time for a "Mayday" Call.

 

[cybervampira]

Plane reported missing from Camas airfield found crashed on Mount Hood

An airplane was found crashed on the north side of Mount Hood on Tuesday, a day after it was reported missing from a Camas airfield.

The Hood River Sheriff’s Office said they received a transponder signal on Tuesday near Eliot Glacier on the north side of the mountain.

KATU's Chopper 2 flew over the debris field and found that the aircraft tail number matched that of the one reported missing from Grove Field Airport in Camas.

No word on whether the missing pilot, George Regis, was on board when the plane went down.

[...]

 

[Steelslady]

Plane reported missing from Camas airfield found crashed on Mount Hood

An airplane was found crashed on the north side of Mount Hood on Tuesday, a day after it was reported missing from a Camas airfield.

The Hood River Sheriff’s Office said they received a transponder signal on Tuesday near Eliot Glacier on the north side of the mountain.

KATU's Chopper 2 flew over the debris field and found that the aircraft tail number matched that of the one reported missing from Grove Field Airport in Camas.

No word on whether the missing pilot, George Regis, was on board when the plane went down.

[...]

That's so sad. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that he is still in that plane.

 

[cybervampira]

Missing Plane Wreckage Found on Mt. Hood; Pilot Presumed Dead | Lacamas Magazine

They also reported that they found a new flight plan that would have taken him around Mt. Hood, which greatly assisted in their search.

The authorities also confirmed that a recovery operation will begin on Wednesday morning.

 

[PommyMommy]

Missing pilot found dead in crashed plane on Mt. Hood
"Throughout the course of the morning and afternoon, they were able to locate and narrow down that signal to the area of Eliot Glacier," Deputy Joel Ives said.

Civil Air Patrol found the plane near Eliot Glacier at about 5,900-feet elevation.

Search and rescue crews will recover the plane and body on Wednesday. Officials said it should be accessible by Snowcat.

 

[PommyMommy]

That's so sad. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that he is still in that plane.

Cole Miller on Twitter
BREAKING: @HRSO confirms the plane belonging to 63-year-old George Regis, who went missing after taking off from Grove Field in Camas Friday, is the wreckage on Mt. Hood. An Oregon Air Nat’l Guard helicopter spotted the tail number and one person dead #KOIN6News