Mystery remains in Illinois councilman’s 1968 disappearance

PONTIAC, Ill. – Illinois authorities are still unsure what happened to a city councilman who disappeared from an airplane 50 years ago.

Jerrold Potter co-owned a Pontiac insurance business with his brother and was a member of the Pontiac City Council, The Pantagraph reported .

Potter was in a plane travelling to Dallas with his wife in June 1968 for a national Lion’s Club conference. He went to the plane’s restroom and never returned.

“Jerry was an extremely nice person,” said Pontiac businessman Frank Panno, who retired last year after serving on the council for 56 years. “He had a great personality and was great to work with.”

The newspaper reported at the time that witnesses onboard felt the plane shake, but it didn’t cause a concern.

When Potter didn’t return to his seat his wife grew nervous and a flight attendant checked the restroom. According to the FAA investigation the flight attendant later alerted the pilot, saying “I think a passenger is missing.”

The FAA investigation found that a chain that’s supposed to hold an exit door closed near the plane’s tail section was broken. Co-pilot Roy Bacus noticed the exit door was open, and pilot Miguel Cabeza said one of the red “Door Open” signs was flashing.

The pilots speculated Potter may have been thrown against the door when the plane lurched, which may have broken the chain and caused him to fall out of the aircraft.

Another theory is that Potter may have opened the door believing it was the restroom and fell to his death.

The plane made an emergency landing in Springfield, Missouri. Police and volunteers searched for Potter’s body, but he was never located. His wife, Carrie Potter, called off the search after four days because others’ lives were being put at risk.

Carrie Potter later sued Purdue Aviation Corp. for $800,000. They eventually reached a settlement for $80,000, much of which went to legal fees and expenses.

“I guess we are never going to know the answer of what happened,” said longtime Pontiac resident Bill Cole. “It’s a fascinating mystery.”

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Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com