Pilot Was Well Known Resident Of Pahrump, NV Raymond Wulfenstein

A Piper Dakota being flown by Pahrump, NV resident Raymond Wulfenstein along the Oregon coast went down Friday after the 79-year-old pilot reported to ATC that he was suffering a medical issue.

According to the Oregon State Police, on January 13, 2017 at about 1150 local time, Wulfenstein radioed FAA air controllers and said he was losing sight in one of his eyes and needed to land his plane. No further radio contact was made with him thereafter. A USCG helicopter crew overheard the distress call and headed to the area to search for the aircraft.

The FAA notified Curry County 911 that a Coast Guard helicopter was looking for a plane south of the Cape Blanco State Park. FAA requested assistance in checking the Cape Blanco State Airport to see if the aircraft had landed there. Sixes River Fire Department checked the airport and the plane was not there.

At about 1300, the USCG helicopter crew located the crashed airplane on the beach near the mouth of the Elk River. The crew landed the helicopter and checked on Wulfenstein, who had been ejected during the crash, and found him to be deceased.

The Curry County Sheriff's Office and OSP responded to the scene. It is unknown at this time if Wulfenstein was attempting a beach landing, but the 1980 Piper Dakota violently collided with the sand. The plane was totaled following the crash and was later removed and taken offsite for NTSB investigators.

(Source: Oregon State Police news release. Images provided by the U.S. Coast Guard)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov