George Gregor Nikita, a 40-year-old white male with black hair and hazel eyes, standing about 5’5″–5’9″ and weighing between 120 and 160 lbs, was last seen on **January 21, 1971** in Burlington, Vermont. He was aboard a Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander piloted jointly with co‑pilot Donald E. Myers, departing Burlington International Airport en route to Providence, Rhode Island.
Shortly after take‑off—around 7:00 p.m.—the aircraft vanished from radar under severe winter weather conditions, and **no distress signal** was ever recorded. It is believed to have crashed into **Lake Champlain** a matter of minutes after departure. Debris discovered in April of 1971 along the lakeshore—such as an oxygen tank, a tire/rim, a window frame, insulation, and radio parts—were attributed to the plane, but no human remains were ever recovered.
In the ensuing decades, multiple search efforts—at least 17 in total—were conducted to locate the wreckage, including a high-tech sonar survey in 2014, but none produced conclusive results. The frozen lake surface and vast search area—hundreds of square miles—hampered early operations, and it is speculated the aircraft may have broken apart on impact or become buried in silt over time, which further complicated detection.
Then, in **June 2024**, underwater searcher Garry Kozak and his team, using sonar and a remotely operated vehicle located wreckage at approximately **200 feet deep near Juniper Island**, showing the same custom paint scheme as the missing Jet Commander. Based on sonar imagery and matching markings, Kozak expressed being “99 percent absolutely sure” this was the lost aircraft. Though formal confirmation by the National Transportation Safety Board is pending, the discovery has reportedly brought a measure of closure for the families.
Among the five people aboard were business associates from Georgia’s Cousins Properties: Robert Ransom Williams III, Frank Wilder, Kirby Windsor, and the pilots Myers and Nikita. After the discovery, relatives—such as Barbara Nikitas and Kristina Nikita Coffey —expressed bittersweet relief: a sense of peace tempered by sorrow and unresolved questions. Frank Wilder’s son, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary in 2021 by placing lights and ringing a bell at Shelburne Point, remarked that “I don’t have closure” until the wreck is actually recovered—and noted that until the find, none of the families truly knew what happened.
As of now, **no human remains have been recovered**, and it's unclear whether a salvage or recovery operation will be undertaken. The NTSB is reviewing the findings, but decisions around possible recovery—including the handling of tangible remains—are still under discussion. A memorial is reportedly being planned to honor the victims now that the plane’s likely resting place is known.
In official records—including the Doe Network and NAMUS listing —George Gregor Nikita is classified as "Endangered Missing," with identifiable features such as an appendectomy scar and having available DNA information. His disappearance remains part of Vermont’s enduring aviation mystery until the exploration or recovery of the site yields further resolution.Last Seen: Jan 21, 1971
