Last Radar Contact In Vicinity Of Guadalupe Mountains Nat'l Park

Search crews are combing the plains of southeastern New Mexico and western Texas, in an attempt to locate a missing pilot and his plane.

As Aero-News reported this weekend, Jim Willess departed California Feburary 28, on a cross-country ferry flight to Virginia. The last radar contact with his RV-6 came from around the Texas/New Mexico border Wednesday night, and no contact has been made with the pilot since.

Crews initially believed Willess had flown over the Texas panhandle before contact was lost. Officials are now searching in the vicinity of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, about 110 miles east of El Paso, TX; and Lincoln National Forest in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, near Carlsbad (map shown below.)

Phil Williams, director of membership for the United States Ultralight Flying Club # 1 in northern Virginia, tells ANN Willess' two sons have rented a plane, and are participating in the search for their father. At least three aircraft are involved in the search, reportedly including local ultralight pilots.

Willess' aircraft is a well-equipped, bright red RV-6, registration N320TX. Williams says the plane is rated for IFR flight, and was equipped with a GPS unit and ELT. No emergency signals have been detected.

Anyone with information to share is asked to contact local authorities. Willess is a 25,000+ hour pilot, and a retired captain for United Airlines.

FMI: Jim Willess BOLO, oasis@erols.com