Deputy reported individual came to his residence requesting assistance in locating relatives who were due to fly into Port Mansfield around 10:30-11:00 p.m. Thursday night. A search of the area was made but no signs of aircraft were to be found. Around3:45 a.m. report was received at Sheriff's office from Civil Air Patrol that the plane, a Piper PA-30 Comanche Twin-Engine, Fixed Wing Aircraft was officially missing.

At sunrise on Friday December 11, 2009 a ground and water search was launched. Members of the Dept of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart-ment, Civil Air Patrol, Willacy County 5.0., South Padre Island Dive Team and the U.S. Coast guard were all involved in the search and rescue mission the first day. During the search efforts the recovery of the body of a passenger in the aircraft and additional wreckage was located, Efforts to locate the pilot were unsuccessful.

On Saturday the l2th of December the search continued, Bad weather hampered the search however many units from Parks and Wildlife were put into the water along with assistance from locals in Port. Also Horses and 4- wheelers were running the beaches and other areas they could get to looking for the remaining missing person. A dive teem from the Brownsville fire Department was called in to assist in looking for further wreckage and the pilot.

The dredge King Fisher volunteered it's services along with a crew and a diver. There were able to help recover about 98% of the missing aircraft and towed it to shore to await inspection by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FM. Their diver was very helpful in the recovery of the wreckage, and keeping it together for the inspectors. The day ended without any further recoveries.

On Sunday the 13th of December, units again began searching at daybreak. Weather again kept planes and choppers from flying. Again Parks and Wildlife had a large number of boats in the water as well of about a dozen local fishermen with their boats. While some boats were searching outlying areas, others continued working around the crash scene dragging in hopes of recovering more debris or the missing pilot. At approximately 1:50 P.M. word was received that a Parks and Wildlife boat had located and recovered the body of the missing pilot abut 300 yds away from the crash scene. The recovered body was brought to shore where JP George Solis pronounced him dead and ordered an autopsy, just as he did with the passenger. Both autopsies were to be completed Monday December 10 at Valley Baptist Medical Center. A list of all those that assisted is attached. 1. Passenger- Robert James Robinett 48 of Sunray, Tx. 2. Pilot- Harvey Wayne Kinikin 39 of Amarillo, Tx. Weslaco Emergency Management Brownsville Fire Department - Dive Team Sheriff Office Raymondville Raymondville Fire Department Willacy County E.M.S. Fire Marshall Service City of Willacy - Emergency Management D.P-S. Raymondville Coast Guard Parks and Wildlife Civil Air Patrol Weslaco Diver - Fire Department Dredge King Fisher Port Mansfield Fire Department Federal Aviation Administration National Transportation Safety Board