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To Triangle “buffs” the disappearance of Bob Corner and Reno Regon is not unknown. It is the last case mentioned by Charles Berlitz in his popular 1974 book, The Bermuda Triangle, and mentioned as the most recent case! But beyond the names of Corner and Regon, there has been little public information.I am grateful here for the information provided by Bob Corner’s sons, Chris and Robert.
At 3:30 p.m. on May 25, 1973, Bob left Pager Field with his friend Reno Regon, for a trip to Freeport, Grand Bahama. Bob was flying a 1947 Navion A16, with full fuel tanks. As Freeport is only about 100 or so miles away to the northeast of Miami, there can be little worry about fuel shortage.
Midway in the flight, over West Palm Beach, Florida, Bob contacted Miami Air Control for weather information. Miami informs him there is a belt of severe thunderstorms between West Palm Beach and Freeport. He is instructed to turn southeast and circumnavigate the cells in order to make Freeport.
There is another plane only 10 minutes behind him which is also given the same instructions. Both aircraft duly turn southeast to avoid the weather front and head to Freeport.
After this moment nothing is ever heard from Bob Corner again. The aircraft only 10 minutes behind started an intensive search for the Navion, including backtracking on its course before heading back to Freeport. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard had swung into action and combed the route to Freeport. Despite this, no trace was ever found.
Bob Corner was hardly a “weekend wing” flyer who only occasionally chanced to fly. He began in Oxford, England, in 1952, and had by the time of his disappearance amassed over 5,000 flight time hours in several different types. He was conscientious about flying, maintained his planes in tiptop condition, and was careful to remain abreast of developing weather conditions during his flights. He held an instrument rating and was capable of flying without any horizon whatsoever.
The Navion had a slide-open canopy that, his son Robert reminds, could have jammed on ditching. In this case, however, there would have been time for a mayday. The float time of the aircraft was about 3 minutes, giving either Corner or Regon more than enough time to get out (if the canopy didn’t jam).
Whatever happened to Bob and Reno, like in the many other disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, it must have happened with lightning-like speed.
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