NTSB Factual Report

On April 17, 1993, at 1846 central daylight time, a Lake LA-4, N7608L, departed Duluth International Airport, Duluth, Minnesota, with a reported destination of Cable Union Airport, Cable, Wisconsin. There were two persons aboard the airplane, the private pilot and one passenger. The Duluth tower reported the last contact they had with the pilot was at 1849 when he reported level at 2400 feet (msl) over the lake, and was given a 1200 beacon code. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot, who was not married, was reported missing on April 19 when he did not show up at work. A search was initiated by the Douglas County Wisconsin Sheriff's Department and the Civil Air Patrol. The search determined the airplane never reached its intended destination on April 17. No other airports reported seeing the airplane.

On April 23, 1993, the body of the passenger was found by a search party on the shore of Lake Superior, five miles east of Superior, Wisconsin, near the mouth of the Amicon River. A flight bag with the pilot's name and some small pieces of airplane debris were also found near the body.

The search was terminated on April 25, with no further success.

On July 25, 1993, the body of the pilot was discovered on the shore of Lake Superior about one-mile east of Superior, Wisconsin. An autopsy was performed at St. Luke's Hospital, Duluth, Minnesota, by Stanley D. Irving, M.D. The cause of death was drowning.

The airplane has never been found and is believed to be missing in Lake Superior.

NTSB Probable Cause

undetermined.