Missing Plane Last Known to Be North of Fort Bragg; Father Asks Community’s Help
Note: the plane shown is not the one missing. The missing plane is a 1968 Red and White Piper Arrow, tail #N4958J.
A red and white Piper Arrow, two passenger single engine aircraft, carrying 27-year-old Kayla Rodriguez and 43-year-old Justin Winfrey, disappeared off radar at 9:21 p.m. Thursday.
“Their plane descended below radar between Wheeler and Rockport off the coast,” Kayla’s father, Larry Rodriguez told us.
Kayla Rodriguez
Rodriguez, a delivery nurse in San Francisco, and Winfrey, a businessman, were supposed to be going to a “haunted house somewhere up north,” according to a informational piece put out by the family. But “no flight plan was filed–so officials only have “radar” or eye witnesses to go off of when trying to locate the plane.”
Rodriguez’s father told us, “We are trying to get in touch with fishermen and local charters. Trying to get as many people as possible to see this.”
“Please call local officials if you have seen this plane flying low between Fort [Bragg] or Eureka,” the missing persons poster says.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Bacon offered slightly contradictory information. Last night, he said that the “aircraft dropped contact approximately 1916 Pacific Standard Time” which is 8:16 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. This is about an hour earlier than the time period her father understood the plane dropped off the radar.
He said “Once we were notified, C27 fixed wing aircraft…did search patterns over the area…One of our helicopters did a low fly over the area…We also contacted vessel’s in the vicinity [but] they haven’t heard anything.”
Rodriguez and Winfrey were last physically seen topping off the plane’s fuel tank at Gnoss Field Airport in Novato at 5:30 p.m.
Please call your local law enforcement if you have any information.
UPDATE: Family and Friends of Two Missing in Plane off Coast of Mendocino and Humboldt Counties Ask for Help
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
1916 is 7:16pm not 8:16pm !
Where did it take off from?
Gnoss airfield
Correction- seems like there is now information that they took off from Shelter Cove around 9 PM on Thursday, October 24th, and were headed back to Gnoss (Novato).
Daylight Time is one hour later than Standard Time.
I live inShelter Cove and Thursday night, sometime after dark(alittle after 8:00). Somebody flew out of our airport. Very unusual because the strip has no lights. Exited north but circled back south. Couldn’t see the plane for the darkness.
Is it possible you heard an unusually low flying aircraft circling or are you sure it was taking off? What were your weather conditions at that time.
No
I am a pilot and was at Gyppo Ale Mill I recall hearing an aircraft departing from our airport. The airport is open only during daylight hours. Only exception is an emergency The time was after 9 pm. Pilots who disregard the rules many times can end up in real trouble I hope they are safe.
It was definitely taking off. I live right next to the airport and it was dark.
Hi Susan,
Please contact me 6504303168
Thank you.
The Usal state park area has a lot or old logging roads and trails . It’s south of Shelter cove and north of Fort Bragg. Good area for a search.
Pacific standard vs pacifica daylight… gots add an hour till we fall back
Prayers for you Larry bring home Kayla & Justin 🙏🏼
Maybe they landed out at Big Flat?
How far is Big Flat from Shelter Cover?
10 miles north and its a gravel runway, I doubt this was an option at night come to think of it.
Registration change earlier this year. New owner? This plane went off the runway in Oregon a month ago. Pictures on the net if you search the N number This pilot might’ve not been the ace of the base. Dark/hazy over ocean loss of spatial orientation very easy.
He recently purchased the plane from a flight school, so that incident might have been a student since the name wasn’t shared. Praying they are ok and just in need of a charged cell phone.
The plane that they were flying was not the one pictured above. The one pictured above was recently in an accident at the Albany airport and is currently in the shop there.
I believe you are right, his plane was tail #N4958J
The plane he was flying looks like it was purchased less than 2 months ago, and the seller states he (Justin) recently earned his private pilot certificate Makes me think he was pretty new 🙁 Prayers for quick answers.
Thursday night, after dark (8:00 alittle after) somebody flew out of Shelter Cove airport. Very unusual because the strip has no lights. Exited north but circled back around heading south.
Hopefully he stayed off the cliffs… but I dunno. Overdue plane in that area. Not good.
Only thing south of there are mountains… and ocean. :>(
Right after dark but not totally dark a plane landed with a car assisting with headlights perhaps around 7:30? About an hour later after dark it took off with out the assistance of the car.never saw the color of the plane.
Good morning,
I am Sergeant Harrell #2027 of the San Francisco Police Department. I am currently investigating the disappearance of the missing people and aircraft. I’m attempting to gather all information/tips/leads regarding. Will you please contact me at your earliest convenience (415) 242-3028 desk, (415) 638-0177 dept. cell phone, email: [email protected]
No flight plan, unknown direction of travel, strange landing and take off at Shelter Cove, sounds like a worried relative, bet they picked up a shipment and flew out East somewhere. All full still when they landed at the cove. Bet they flew their payload back east
Please refrain from posting stupid shit like this. Keep in mind that their families can read these comments. If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
Hello Liz 2
I am a commercial fisherman from shelter cove, we will keep our eyes open for anything a few miles north of south of shelter cove.
Thank you!
According to flightaware.com, no record of this flight oct 27. last flight shows speed when level of about 147 mph, and at altitude not exactly right for VFR flying even then 9 mnths ago. doubt it had autopilot on at night. Any comm with Norcal air traffic control ?
Yes please spread the word maybe print the flyer, crab season starting soon
They landed at Shelter Cove around 8:00 and departed close to 10. I heard them circling and reached out on my handheld radio and offered assistance. I asked if they were in distress initially and wound up using my truck headlights to illuminate the approach end of runway 12. After he landed…I talked with the pilot and passenger at the transient parking area near Gyppo. He then informed me that they were from the Bay Area and were flying up to eat at gyppo. After we parted ways….I heard the plane take off close to 10
Cory, I’m in touch with the family. Would you allow me to give your email to them. Or contact me at [email protected] with your phone number?
Hi Kym were you able to get in touch with Cory? Justin’s family would love to get in touch with him as well.
So far he hasn’t responded to my comment.
Can you confirm the people you talked to match those in the photos?
please update us if “Cory” was able to confirm!
Hope to have update story today.
Definitely sounds suspicious, I’m praying for her
Pray for both of them!
why only her? if you read the article, there’s nothing stating they’re worried about her well being because of who she was with. sounds more like they’re worried about both parties, and that maybe the plane went down. pretty sure if they were worried because of him, they would have stated so.
I heard a plane flying low over my house in Willits a few nights ago and remember thinking it was unusual. I believe It was heading South East over my house.
Can you give me the Neigborhood area for I can search that direction myself?
West Mendocino Ave near the county/city turns into Exley Lane.
Information update:
The pair was last seen in person on Thursday, October 24 in Shelter Cove while eating dinner at Gyppo Ale Mill Restaurant (1661 Upper Pacific Drive, Whitethron, CA 95589) between approximately 7:45pm and 8:45pm. While eating dinner, the pair indicated to the server that they were heading back to the San Francisco area via small plane post-dinner. Radar shows the plane departing from Shelter Cove around 9:05pm and last radar was at 9:23pm approximately 5 miles off the shore of Wheeler when the plane dropped below radar (2500ft). The pair were in a Red and White PIPER ARROW tail number N4958J.
I saw a plane like this flying super low a few days ago heading towards Shelter Cove also heard a plane flying out at night over my house in Willits heading South. If it was them on both occasions they seemed to be on the same flight path heading out of the area. Was the power already off in Marin and Sonoma County by then? If so the smoke also could have effected their vision. During the eclipse of 2017 we flew to Oregon and the smoke made for a very difficult and stressful return home. We did end up flying super low below the smoke in order to navigate back to safety. Pilot was attempting to make an emergency landing in Fortuna area but once we decent she opened us up to clear sky. We actually had to go out over the ocean to avoid the smoke and firefighters aircrafts. She had no IFR and some of the equipment was malfunctioning. The plane was rented by the flight school in Petaluma. Hopefully their phones just died and they have not charged them up. Hopefully they are having a great time together and safe. Praying they contact family soon. I often see a plane like this flying over Willits.
Hello this is Sergeant Harrell of the San Francisco Police Department. Thank you all for your information. I would appreciate your time & assistance with any information you can give me regarding. Please email or call me with a time I can call to interview tomorrow.
[email protected]
(415) 242-3028
Thank you. Everything counts!
Ha! There was an emergency landing in Honeydew, after the eclipse two years ago. Pilot got lost over ocean trying to avoid smoke, almost ran out of gas. Landed his trike gear plane in a field on fumes, (pruned a fir tree!). Filled up on regular, and took off.
Praying heavily for Kayla and Justin and both of there families. They will be home soon. Santa Barbara Love💕
Wow! Lots of info in this feed. I hope they are found soon and safe! You’ve got my prayers 🙏🏼♥️ Debbie in OK