On Father’s Day 2014 a sightseeing flight from Florence Municipal Airport ended in tragedy off the Oregon coast. The Grumman American AA-5B left about 8:45 a.m. with 15-year-old Benjamin James Dressler and his 69-year-old grandfather, Richard Munger, aboard. Weather that morning was marginal, no flight plan had been filed, and witnesses described low ceilings and poor visibility as the plane climbed, re-entered clouds and later emerged about 400 yards offshore in a nearly vertical, right-wing-low attitude before crashing into the ocean roughly 500 yards offshore near the North Jetty at about 9:45 a.m.

The Coast Guard recovered Richard Munger’s body; his official cause of death was blunt force trauma. An extensive search for Benjamin turned up no remains. Aircraft debris including a wing flap, rudder, elevators, a landing gear wheel and interior parts washed ashore, but the main wreckage and Benjamin’s remains were never located. Benjamin was described as a promising student who loved math, drama and science and who had a warm sense of humor.

Anyone who was on the Florence shore that morning or has information about the aircraft’s final location is asked to come forward.