At 1 pm on January 26, 2015, the Puget Sound Coast Guard received a phone call from the Kitsap County 911 operator stating that a small red and white plane had crashed in the waters of the Hood Canal. The Coast Guard launched two helicopter crews, a 45′ response boat crew, and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter HENRY BLAKE to the reported crash site. Other agency responders included personnel from Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, Mason County Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
At around 2:30 pm, a helicopter crew found airplane debris near Seabeck, Washington. Search crews recovered a driver’s license and other items which allowed investigators to identify the pilot and notify the next of kin. It is Coast Guard policy to withhold names for 24 hours after next of kin have been notified. The pilot was believed to be the only person aboard.
“Our prayers and heartfelt wishes go out to the friends and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy,” said Lieutenant Raphael Sadowitz, the command duty officer at Sector Puget Sound. “We also extend our gratitude to the good Samaritans who were quick to report the incident and the local law enforcement personnel who aided in our search. Their efforts helped ensure our ability to swiftly find the location of the crash and thoroughly cover the surrounding areas.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the only missing aircraft in the area is an RV7, a homemade single-engine two-seater. FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer says it’s missing from the Tacoma Narrows airport and is registered to a man from Fox Island.
Weather reported at the time of the incident consisted of clear skies, 12 to 15 mph winds, 1-foot seas and an air temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit and water temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Under United States law, aircraft that crash into navigable waters are governed by Federal maritime law.