Joseph Beatty Missing Person Case

Joseph Taylor Beatty, a 48-year-old pilot, went missing on December 3, 1997, in Orlando, Florida. Beatty, who had distinguishing features such as amputated fingers on his left hand and wore prescription glasses, was last seen when he was piloting a single-engine Beechcraft G35 Bonanza plane. Accompanying him was a passenger, Kevin Williams, aged 37. After refueling in Crestview, Florida, the plane sent out a distress call while encountering bad weather near Gulfport, Mississippi. Despite an extensive four-day search by the Coast Guard, no trace of the plane or its occupants was found.

Beatty's case remains unresolved, with the circumstances surrounding his disappearance largely unclear. The investigation was spearheaded by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, but there have been no significant breakthroughs over the years. Beatty’s disappearance is cataloged in various missing persons databases, and his family and authorities continue to seek answers to what happened on that fateful flight.
Last Seen: Dec 3, 1997

Missing Person / NamUs #MP3195 - Office of Justice Programs

4568DMFL - Joseph Taylor Beatty - Doe Network

Closed Schools - Pennsylvania Department of Education