A journey for a fishing trip turned into a tragedy on July 13, 2003, when 49-year-old Gary Wayne Ostler, a male from the Salt Lake City area, disappeared following a plane crash in the icy waters near Gustavus, Alaska. Ostler was the pilot of a twin-engine Cessna 401 airplane that went down in the Icy Strait with five family members on board. The group was en route from Port Angeles, Washington, to Gustavus for a fishing excursion.
Along with Gary, his 18-year-old son Christopher, and his brothers-in-law, 19-year-old Adam Moses and 24-year-old Gordon Moses, were also on the flight and remain missing.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the cause of the accident to be fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel the aircraft. As the plane approached its destination, Ostler communicated with air traffic control, expressing concern about his low fuel levels. Despite being directed to a closer airport, he chose to continue towards Gustavus, an area with which he was more familiar. Ultimately, the plane ran out of fuel approximately 12 miles from the intended airport, forcing a ditching in the open ocean. Two of Ostler's sons-in-law, Khyl Shumway and Ben Gunn, were the only survivors. They managed to swim for an hour and a half to reach the shore and were later rescued.
According to the accounts of the two survivors, after the plane hit the water, all six occupants initially lost consciousness. When the survivors awoke, the plane was sinking. They reported that four of the occupants, including Gary Ostler, managed to exit the sinking aircraft. However, the two survivors became separated from Gary and Christopher Ostler during the swim to the nearest shoreline, which was about a mile away. The other two passengers, Adam and Gordon Moses, were believed to have gone down with the plane. A search was launched, but neither the aircraft nor the bodies of Gary Ostler, his son, or his two brothers-in-law have ever been recovered. The case is a heartbreaking reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the tragic consequences of a series of fateful decisions. In the aftermath, the family held memorial services to find some measure of closure, though the hope for recovery remained. The incident also led to a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Gary Ostler's estate by the wife of Gordon Moses.Last Seen: Jul 13, 2003
