Slated for release in August is “Finding Carla,” a true story by Ross Nixon of an aviation search and rescue operation and a family’s struggle — and how it affected the use of aircraft emergency locator transmitters (ELTs).
In March 1967, a Cessna 195 flew from Oregon towards San Francisco carrying a family of three: Alvin Oien, Sr. (the pilot), his wife Phyllis and step-daughter Carla Corbus.
Due to worse-than-predicted weather, it went down in the mountains of northern California only eight miles from a highway.
Search-and-rescue efforts were hindered by snowy winter storms, rugged terrain, and the fact that the downed airplane did not have an ELT.
The eventual finding of the wreck by hunters in October of that year shocked the nation when it was discovered that the family had survived the crash.
A diary and series of letters from the survivors explained their predicament.
The unfolding of this tragedy spurred political action towards making ELTs mandatory in aircraft.
The book is illustrated with a family photo and memorabilia album. It also includes details of the forming of ELT regulations in an Appendix that reproduces excerpts from The Congressional Record.
Upon release this August, it will be available in eBook PDF, eBook ePub, Kindle and iBook formats.