Governor Authorized Renewed Search

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 07.03.07 2245 EDT: Closure, at last. Aero-News has learned search crews in southeastern New Mexico located the wreckage of a missing RV-6 Tuesday, four months after the plane and its pilot disappeared in the vicinity of the Texas/New Mexico border.

As ANN reported, Jim Willess departed California February 28, on a cross-country ferry flight to Virginia. He failed to check in with family that night, and crews began searching for signs of the missing pilot March 3.

Radar returns initially placed the aircraft (shown above) in the area of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas, but crews came up empty. The official search was scaled back March 9, though independent pilots continued searching in the weeks afterward. Eventually they, too, scaled back their efforts.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson recently authorized a new search, based on more detailed radar data analysis from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Further details are limited at this point, including where the aircraft was located. Willess's body was found in the wreckage, and sources tell ANN the plane's N-number, 320TX, was visible.

FMI: http://find_jim.willess.com/