New England Aircraft Disapearance | New England Aviation History

Missing Aircraft – July 12, 1982

November 15, 2018

Missing Aircraft – July 12, 1982

At about 12:30 p.m. on July 12, 1982, a single-engine Grumman American, (N5637L), left Suffolk County Airport on Long Island, New York, bound for Fall River, Massachusetts. There were two men aboard: the pilot, Stephen A. Weiss, (31), of East Providence, R.I., and a passenger, Raymond Mooney, (30), of Lindenhurst, N.Y.

The weather was poor, with low clouds and 400 foot ceilings. Shortly after take off the pilot made a routine radio call to air traffic controllers, and this was the last transmission received by the aircraft.

The aircraft never arrived at Fall River, however, it wasn’t reported as missing until July 14th. The following day an intensive air-sea search mission was implemented. At times, foul weather hampered search efforts.

The aircraft had enough fuel for four hours of flight.

An oil slick was spotted off Montauk, Long Island, but there are no reports that it was connected to the missing aircraft.

One Long Island woman reported hearing a low flying plane on the 12th.

The search involved the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, local and state authorities, as well as hundreds of civilian volunteers, but no trace of the missing plane or its occupants was found.

The search was called off on July 21st.

Sources:

Providence Evening Bulletin, “Air, Sea Search Fails To Find trace Of Missing R.I. Pilot And Friend”, July 16, 1982, page C-3

The Sun, (Westerly, RI), “Light Plane Missing Off Coast, July 16, 1982, page 1

Providence Journal, “Searchers Scour Sea, Coast For Plane Flown By R.I. Man”, July 17, 1982, page A-5

Providence Evening Bulletin, “100 Searchers Fail To Find Missing Plane”, July 19, 1982, page A-2

Providence Evening Bulletin, “FAA Hit For delay In reporting Plane Missing”, July 20, 1982, page A-8

Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search For Missing Plane May End Today”, July 21, 1982, page A-8

Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search For Missing Plane Ends”, July 22, 1982

Providence Journal Bulletin, “FAA Workers Face Sanctions For Missing Plane”, August 7, 1982, page A-5

The Mystery of Gerhard Finkenbeiner – 1999

April 16, 2016

The Mystery of Gerhard Finkenbeiner

On the afternoon of May 6, 1999, Gerhard Finkenbeiner, 69, took off in a single-engine Piper Arrow, (Reg. N8235Z), from Wiggins Airport in Norwood, Massachusetts, and neither he or his airplane have been seen since.

His intended destination was unknown for he didn’t file a flight plan.

The weather was relatively clear with 7 to 10 miles good visibility.

Once he was reported “missing”, authorities began an intensive search.

The Massachusetts Wing of the Civil Air Patrol obtained radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration. This data was included in the National Transportation Safety Board, (NTSB), report narrative, which reads in part: “Air traffic control radar began tracking a target squawking 1200 in the Norwood area, about the same time the missing airplane was suspected of departing. The target tracked southbound to a point 5 miles south of Taunton Airport, then turned eastward at 1506:02. At that time, the altitude of the target was 1,100 feet. At 1506:14, at 41 degrees, 49 minutes, 83 seconds, north latitude, and 70 degrees, 49 minutes, 22 seconds west longitude, radar contact was lost. At 1518:14, a target was observed at 41 degrees, 50 minutes, 32 seconds, north latitude, 70 degrees, 46 minutes, west longitude, at an altitude of 500 feet. There were no further contacts.”

Assuming that the radar contact was Mr. Finkenbeiner’s aircraft, the search was initially centered in the area of Carver, Massachusetts. However, it was also speculated that Mr. Finkenbeiner may have attempted to fly to Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where he owned another home. Another area of interest to searchers centered around the Danielson, Connecticut, area where witnesses reported seeing a plane circling that may have been in trouble. Despite repeated searches, nothing was found.

Mr. Finkenbeiner was a well known manufacturer of glass armonica’s; an instrument introduced in the 1700s by Ben Franklin. The business is still in operation today. See www.finkenbeiner.com

What happened to Mr. Finkenbeiner and his aircraft is open to speculation, and to this day there are those still hoping to bring the matter to a close.

One website dedicated to solving the mystery can be found at The Search For Gerhard Finkenbeiner – Rick’s Home Page, iroc305.tripod.com/id53.htm

Sources:

National Transportation Safety Board report, #NYC99FAMS3

Boston Globe, “Glass Armonica Maker vanishes”, May 9, 1999, Pg. B01

Lewiston Sun Journal, “Authorities Perplexed By Missing Pilot”, May 10, 1999

Providence Sunday Journal, “Conn. Police To resume Search For Missing Plane”, November 14, 1999

Providence Journal, “Missing Plane Remains A Mystery”, November 22, 1999