On September 20, 2004, 61-year-old Gerald "Jerry" Balmer, a resident of Auburn, California, embarked on a fishing trip in the Alaskan wilderness with a group of friends. He, along with Lloyd "Dick" Koenig of Pleasanton, California, and twin brothers James and Joseph Murphy Jr. of Sequim and Bremerton, Washington, respectively, were passengers on a chartered de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver floatplane. The aircraft, operated by Harris Aircraft Services, was piloted by 25-year-old Erik Johnson of Sitka. The group departed from Sitka, Alaska, on a rainy and windy day, bound for the Baranof Warm Springs Lodge on the eastern side of Baranof Island for a fishing excursion. This was reportedly Balmer's third trip to the lodge; he was drawn to the area by its natural beauty, including the salmon, bears, and whales, rather than just the fishing. Their plane was the second of two aircraft from their party heading to the lodge.
Due to the inclement weather, their pilot chose to take a longer, circuitous route around the northern part of the island instead of the more direct path across the mountainous interior. The first plane carrying other members of their group had already landed safely at the destination. However, the aircraft carrying Balmer, his three friends, and the pilot never arrived. A comprehensive search and rescue operation was quickly launched, involving the U.S. Coast Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, and civilian volunteers. Despite the floatplane being equipped with an emergency locator transmitter, no signal was ever detected. For nine days, search teams scoured the rugged terrain between Sitka and Warm Springs Bay, an area with mountains soaring over 5,000 feet. The search efforts were significantly hampered by the challenging landscape and the persistent poor weather conditions.
After an exhaustive but unsuccessful search, the U.S. Coast Guard made the difficult decision to suspend the official operation. Weeks later, small pieces of the floatplane were discovered along a rugged stretch of coastline. This discovery tragically confirmed that the aircraft had crashed, and all five individuals on board were presumed to have perished. The case of Gerald Balmer and the four other men serves as a somber reminder of the inherent dangers of aviation in Alaska's vast and unforgiving wilderness. The disappearance of the five individuals, who were on what was meant to be an enjoyable adventure, ended in a profound loss for their families and remains a tragic event in Alaska's aviation history.
Last Seen: Sep 20, 2004
