NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Coast Guard officials on Monday called off a search for a missing pilot, who is a former Mid-Missouri man, and his Cirrus aircraft in the Gulf of Mexico.
The search for pilot Bill Kinsinger, 55, of Oklahoma City, started Wednesday when his plane disappeared from radar. The Coast Guard searched 17,458 nautical square miles for approximately 79 hours.
Kinsinger, a graduate of Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., flew for a rescue dog transportation group, Pilots N Paws. He had been flying on Jan. 3 from Oklahoma City to Georgetown, Texas, to collect a disabled husky dog to deliver to a foster home.
Officials believe Kinsinger lost consciousness due to a lack of oxygen. His plane veered toward then over the Gulf of Mexico, climbing to 19,000 feet before settling at 18,900 feet. When he didn't reply to radio calls, two fighter jets sent to contact him in person observed Kinsinger slumped over the controls, unresponsive. Other aircraft were called to assist but returned to base at nightfall.
Kinsinger, an anesthesiologist, leaves behind two sons and his Beta Theta Pi fraternity brothers. His fellow volunteers with Pilots N Paws flew to Georgetown on Jan. 4 to pick up the dog and complete Kinsinger's mission.
"Ending a search is a difficult decision that we put the utmost thought and consideration into," said Capt. David Cooper, chief of incident management, Eighth Coast Guard District. "Dr. Kinsinger was a well loved man, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted during this tragic time."