Richard Lindner Missing Person Case

Oct 02, 2019

May 06, 2024

Richard

Lindner

51

20

74 inches

190 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On a summer day, July 29, 1995, 20-year-old Richard Allen Lindner, along with Allen Gelin and Mark Pickar, boarded a white twin-engine Cessna 421C in Juneau, Alaska, destined for King Salmon. Their journey took a perilous turn when the pilot reported severe trouble with the right engine. In an attempt to make an emergency landing, the pilot diverted the aircraft towards Middleton Island, a remote location in the vast Prince William Sound. Air traffic controllers maintained contact with the flight, guiding it as it descended through clouds. The last communication from the pilot indicated they were directly over the island, but radar showed the plane passing over the island and heading out over the ocean to the southeast before contact was lost. The initial search and rescue efforts were met with a grim discovery. Rescue aircraft spotted bubbles, an oil slick, and debris in the water approximately three nautical miles south of the Middleton Island Airport, confirming the worst fears of a crash. The challenging weather conditions, including a low ceiling and rough seas, likely complicated the pilot's attempt at an emergency landing. Despite the immediate response, the wreckage of the Cessna was not found at that time, and the search for the three men began. The families and friends of Richard, Allen, and Mark were left in a painful state of uncertainty, holding onto hope while facing the harsh realities of the Alaskan wilderness. It was not until over a year later, on September 29, 1996, that the wreckage of the aircraft was finally located. However, the discovery brought no solace or closure, as none of the occupants were found inside the plane. The finding of the submerged aircraft answered the question of what happened to the plane but deepened the mystery of the men's fate. One body was eventually recovered from the ocean, but tragically, Richard Lindner and the other remaining passenger were never found and are presumed to have been fatally injured in the crash. The case remains a sorrowful reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan environment and the enduring pain of unresolved loss for the families of the missing men. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of the accident to be a mechanical loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, leading to the in-flight collision with the water.

Jul 29, 1995

Middleton Island

Alaska

Valdez–Cordova Census Area

No

64597

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

950050176

1995-07-29

Alaska State Troopers

Brown

Brown

Brown

No

07/17/2026