Rental Aircraft Found Upside Down In The Southern California Desert

The pilot of a Cessna 162 Skycatcher he had rented was fatally injured Friday when the plane went down in a remote area of San Diego County, CA known as the "Borrego Badlands."

UT San Diego relays a report from the Victor Valley News that indicates Max J. Mizejewski III of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA had rented the Skycatcher from Jacksonair Services of Thermal, CA. He had departed from Thermal about 7:30 PDT Friday morning, and was reported overdue about 11:00 a.m. local time.

The aircraft was discovered Saturday morning by the Civil Air Patrol in the remote area of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Mizejewski, who was identified by family members in the comments section of the Victor Valley News, was found deceased with the wreckage of the airplane.

In an online posting, Mizejewski described himself as a retired Huey helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army. He had flown the helos in Vietnam in June and July of 1967. He had retired with a medical disability after a mechanical problem caused a helicopter he was flying to go down.

(Skycatcher pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov