Robert Hawk was 34 when he boarded a red and white Cessna 180, tail number N3424Y, in Anchorage on August 17, 1981, bound for the village of Grayling. He was traveling with Kenneth Fischer, Larry Larson, and William Tiedeman. The plane never arrived and all four men were reported missing.

An extensive search by the Alaska State Troopers and other agencies covered the intended flight path over Rainy Pass, an area of dense forests, mountains, and unpredictable weather. Despite exhaustive efforts, no wreckage, distress signal, or any other trace of the aircraft or the men was found, and the investigation remains open.

The lack of physical evidence left the families without closure and the case unsolved; speculation has circulated, but the record contains no definitive explanation for what happened. If anyone has memories of that flight, saw the Cessna, or has information about the route on August 17, 1981, please come forward.