A mystery deserves a good ending.
For a plane that crashed in 1965 in a mid-air collision near the Folsom Dam, just outside of Sacramento, that might finally be possible.
Single Springs-based researchers Jeff Riley and Tyler Atkinson believe they have spotted the wreckage at Folsom Lake, using underwater sonar technology, according to a report by KGO.
While recently testing their advanced surveying equipment, they saw a plane's tail and propeller which matched the description of the downed Piper Comanche 250 aircraft.
"I saw something that was not normal," said Atkinson.
The collision occurred on New Years Day in 1965. While the body of the pilot was discovered at one point, the bodies of three people onboard were never found. A search was attempted in 2014, to no avail.
Now, using the updated Seaforce Systems technology, the researchers can see a fully-intact plane.
"That's when we decide, okay, there's definitely something down there, and maybe it’s the plane," added John Timplin, President of Seaforce Systems.
Shrinking water levels at Folsom Lake also made the aircraft easier to detect.
Frank Wilcox’s brother was onboard the flight and he had never stopped looking for his brother's remains. Unfortunately, Wilcox passed away two years ago without ever getting that closure.
According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, there are no current plans to remove the plane.
