Larry Gangle Missing Person Case

Jan 01, 1970

Jan 01, 1970

Larry

Gangle

31

White / Caucasian

Male

In the vast and often unforgiving wilderness of Alaska, the story of Larry David Gangle's disappearance is a poignant reminder of the inherent risks of aviation in such a rugged landscape. On August 8, 1985, 31-year-old Larry Gangle, a man with brown hair and blue eyes, was in Glennallen, Alaska. He was a passenger in a Maule M-5-235C aircraft that was operating in the remote and stunningly beautiful area near the Bernard Glacier. The plan was for the aircraft to return to the Jake's Bar airstrip to pick up another passenger, a routine flight in a region that heavily relies on small planes for transportation and access to its most secluded corners. However, the aircraft never arrived at its destination, marking the beginning of a years-long mystery. The hours turned into days, and with no sign of the aircraft or its occupants, the realization that something had gone terribly wrong settled in. The vast expanse of the Alaskan wilderness, with its towering mountains, dense forests, and expansive glaciers, presents a formidable challenge for any search and rescue operation. The area where the plane was last known to be flying is characterized by its dramatic and treacherous terrain, a landscape that can quickly conceal any trace of a downed aircraft. For years, the fate of Larry Gangle and the pilot remained unknown, a painful void for their families and friends who were left with unanswered questions and the heavy weight of uncertainty. For six years, the disappearance of the Maule M-5-235C remained a cold case, one of the many unsolved aviation mysteries in Alaska's history. Then, on August 12, 1991, a group of hunters navigating the mountainous terrain made a somber discovery. At an elevation of 1,000 feet, they stumbled upon the wreckage of the missing aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board later reported that the plane had collided with the terrain. The wreckage was found widely scattered, a result of the initial impact and subsequent rock slides in the volatile mountain environment. This discovery brought a tragic end to the search for Larry Gangle and the pilot, confirming that both had sustained fatal injuries in the crash. The case of Larry Gangle serves as a somber narrative of the perils of Alaskan aviation, where the raw beauty of the landscape is matched by its unforgiving nature, and underscores the profound loss experienced by the loved ones of those who venture into its vastness and do not return.

Aug 08, 1985

Glennallen

Alaska

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07/09/2026