Missing Aircraft Found

[AirCon]

I just heard on CBC news that the aircraft belonging to Robert Simms (Piper PA 22 Tri-Pacer) was found just north of Point Au Baril (North of Parry Sound, Ontario). Mr Simms had taken off on Oct 30th 1997 from a small field at Head Lake and was enroute to Elliot Lake via tracking the shoreline of Georgian Bay. It appears that his AC clipped some trees and crashed between two large trees. The hunter who found the aircraft said that he had a hard time seeing what it was from 30 feet away. Bob Simm's brief case was found on board the aircraft. His clothing was still strapped into the seat belts. A femur bone with the titanium hip replacement with an id number were also found at the crash site.

I remember his disappearance very well because I was involved in the massive Air Search and Rescue (SARSIMMS) effort. He was to be at his destination in approx. 3 hours. If my memory serves me right, there was no flight plan filed. It was his wife that reported him overdue. He left no clues behind, there were no good sighting reports and his ELT was never heard.

The search covered 11 days, 805 search hours flown and again if I remember, approx 40,000 square miles. On search were 4 C130 Hercs, 2 CH113 Labs (424 Sqn Trenton) 1 Griffon (CFB Pettawawa) and 7 CASARA (civil) aircraft.

Probably the most gut wrenching part of that search was when they brought in the immediate family to tell them that the search was to be scaled down after about day 10....

that was a tough 11 days for all involved....

by the way, weather at the time of his take-off was marginal VFR....

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