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Coast Guard Searching All Night For 2 Pilots

Photos from MySpace and Debbie Swartz

The plane carrying Zachary Schlitt, left, and Darien Peckham likely crashed about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, the Coast Guard said.

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 30, 2008

Updated: 12/01/2008 09:17 pm

TAMPA - An 87-foot Coast Guard cutter will search all night for two pilots whose plane apparently crashed Sunday into the Gulf of Mexico, authorities say.

A helicopter and plane assisted in the search during the day and a search by air will most likely continue Tuesday, Coast Guard spokeswoman Tasha Tully said.

A seat and a flight bag containing aviation headphones was found today within the Coast Guard's search grid for Darien Peckham, 35, of Harbour Island, and Zachary Schlitt, 28, of West Palm Beach, officials say.

Peckham and Schlitt were aboard a 44-year-old Beech 35 Debonair aircraft. The plane was flying from Tallahassee to Vandenberg Airport east of Tampa when it crashed over water about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, 20 miles southwest of Yankeetown in Levy County, according to the Coast Guard.

Air-traffic controllers based in Jacksonville reported to the Coast Guard that the plane dropped off the radar over the Gulf.

It appears that both Peckham and Schlitt were certified pilots, meaning either could have been flying the plane, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said.

Investigators have found two small debris fields within the search area but are still working to determine whether those fields are connected to the plane, Coast Guard spokesman Robert Simpson said. The water temperature this afternoon was 72 degrees, with 2- to 3-foot seas and 15-knot winds.
When the plane went missing, there were strong thunderstorms, 10- to 12-foot seas and 20- to 25-knot winds, a Coast Guard news release states.

Peckham, a nuclear medicine technologist, started his career at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, said his friend, John Cox.

Peckham was involved in early research of a technique for the mapping of breast cancer lymph nodes. He founded and operates Gamma Probe Consulting, a company for which he uses his flying skills to travel to outlying hospitals that can't afford to implement the technology.

He is involved in breast cancer awareness and enjoys formation flying, Cox said.

"This is a guy that's really a shining star, an unbelievable human, a good guy." Cox said. "He's constantly giving of his time and money to good causes."

He has been a pilot since May 2005.

Schlitt's mother, Pandora, said she spoke with her son shortly before he departed Tallahassee, where he had attended the Florida-Florida State football game Saturday. She said talking about their conversation would be too personal.

Schlitt, a University of Florida graduate, has worked in real estate acquisitions for Boos Development Group of Clearwater since February 2007. He moved to the West Palm Beach area after being promoted in July to a more senior role with the company's Palm Beach Gardens Office.

Rob Boos, president and chief operating officer of Boos Development, said Schlitt is dedicated to work and family.

"He's a kid that I would describe as full of life, always having a smile on his face," Boos said. "He's very intelligent, personable, hardworking and very, very supportive of our company and our company mission."

Schlitt has been a pilot since October 1997.

Pandora Schlitt described her son as a "wonderful, happy young man, 28 years old with lots of friends."
Zachary Schlitt last logged on to his MySpace page Sunday. His posted comment: "Zach is waiting for the rain to pass so we can fly the plane out of Tally!"

Editor Howard Altman and reporter Ray Reyes contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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