USCG, Mexican Navy search for overdue aircraft in Gulf of Mexico

The U.S. Coast Guard and Secretaria de Marina, the Mexican Navy, are searching for the pilot of a small overdue aircraft that likely crashed in the Gulf of Mexico, Thursday, the USCG press release said.

Involved in the search are:
Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry air crew
Secretaria de Marina vessel

Missing is Steven Schumacher from Missouri, the pilot of the overdue Piper Aztec twin engine plane, tail number N778PA. There were no passengers with him.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from Schumacher’s family member, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, that Schumacher did not reach his destination.

Schumacher left Missouri Wednesday afternoon and was scheduled to land in Gonzales, Louisiana, at approximately 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Schumacher’s last known position was 380 nautical miles south of Louisiana and 300 nautical miles east of Corpus Christi, Texas. An online flight tracker’s last contact for the plane indicated it was about 50 feet above the water.