Edmond Haronian, a 50-year-old insurance broker from Woodland Hills, California, has been missing since Saturday, May 28, 2016. He was last seen on Catalina Island at approximately 1:00 p.m. that day. Haronian, a student pilot, was on a weekend trip to the island with his flight instructor, 52-year-old Jason Glazier of Encino. The two men were flying in a single-engine Cessna 172.
Haronian had been taking flying lessons for about a year and was nearing the completion of his training.
He had flown from Van Nuys to Catalina Island with Glazier that morning. After arriving on the island, Haronian posted a picture on his Facebook page. The return flight was scheduled to land at Van Nuys Airport, but the plane never arrived. There was no distress call from the aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration alerted authorities when the plane became overdue, prompting a search by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Radar data indicated the Cessna 172 flew north from Catalina Island, and tracking was lost about three minutes after takeoff, approximately five miles from the airport. Search efforts covered over 1,400 square miles, and while an oil slick was spotted in the water near where the plane disappeared from radar, no wreckage or signs of the two men were found. The official search was suspended after more than 16 hours.
Haronian's family, including his ex-wife and sons, expressed deep concern, stating that it was uncharacteristic of him to be out of contact. They organized private searches and offered a substantial reward for information leading to his recovery. In 2018, Haronian's sons and stepson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the flight school that employed Glazier and the owner of the aircraft. The lawsuit alleged that Glazier was unfit to be a flight instructor and had a criminal history. While a death certificate was eventually issued for Edmond Haronian, his case, along with the disappearance of Jason Glazier, remains officially unsolved.Last Seen: May 28, 2016
