Woody Woodward ferry pilot mystery
It is a story from long ago but interesting nonetheless. No doubt one of many who have disappeared, a former owner of my aircraft did the same while crossing the English Channel. I wonder if anyone here remembers this gentleman......
From Flying Magazine, 1965
The Woody Woodard Mystery
Clark ‘Woody’ Woodard was a local and well known 40,000 hour professional pilot and flight instructor. He ran an airplane ferry service and instructed pilots on safe ferry flight practices. After 352 cross-ocean ferries, he was lost when crossing the Atlantic Ocean. He was last located approximately 300 miles northwest of the Azores and was flying a Lake Amphibian aircraft. He did send a Mayday message and was operating a locating beacon on regular schedules so that his batteries would last more than the continuous 72 hours of a standard emergency beacon. He was not only prepared for ditching at sea with life raft and survival suit, he had lost engines in various airplanes over the years, and was cool in an emergency, always walking away unscathed from his exploits.
Strange circumstances surround the search and the 63 year old pilot was never found.