Adam Moses Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Apr 13, 2022

Adam

Moses

42

19

70 inches

127 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On July 13, 2003, a devastating aircraft accident occurred in the frigid waters near Gustavus, Alaska, leading to the disappearance of 19-year-old Adam Woodruff Moses, who was from Juneau. Adam was one of six people on a twin-engine Cessna heading for a fishing trip when the plane went down. The group was traveling from Juneau, and the incident tragically cut short the lives and hopes of several family members. The crash resulted in a harrowing ordeal for all on board and an extensive, though ultimately heartbreaking, search for those who did not survive. Adam, a young man with his life ahead of him, vanished with the aircraft into the depths of the ocean. The flight, piloted by Gary Ostler, an experienced pilot, was approaching the Gustavus Airport when it reportedly ran out of fuel. Ostler attempted to make an emergency landing on the water, but upon impact, the passengers lost consciousness. Two individuals, Khyl Shumway and Ben Gunn, managed to survive the initial crash and swam for an hour and a half to reach the shore before being rescued. Tragically, Adam, his brother Gordon Moses, the pilot Gary Ostler, and Gary's son, Christopher Ostler, did not survive. Accounts from the family indicate that Adam was last seen trying to save his unconscious brother, Gordie, and it is believed they both went down with the sinking plane. The heroic efforts in the face of such a terrifying event speak to the courage present in the plane's final moments. The official investigation into the accident by the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the cause was the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane, which led to fuel exhaustion and a complete loss of engine power. The report noted that the pilot had bypassed opportunities to refuel before the final leg of the journey to Gustavus. Despite search efforts, the bodies of Adam Moses, Gordon Moses, Gary Ostler, and Christopher Ostler were never recovered from the ocean. The case is a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the profound loss their families have had to endure. Adam, along with the others lost, is presumed to be deceased, their final resting place the cold waters near where their journey so tragically ended.

Jul 13, 2003

Juneau

Alaska

Juneau Borough

No

77233

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

030053853

2003-07-13

Alaska State Troopers

na

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/12/2026