May 21, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: On December 6, 1992, a small plane carrying four young professionals — full of love, promise, and plans for the future — took off from Santa Barbara and was never seen again. Among them was 29-year-old Nancy Branch, a Stanford graduate and rising star in the tech world. Over 30 years later, the mystery still lingers over the California coast. What really happened that day in the sky? Anyone with information about this case should contact the Menlo Park Police Department at 650-858-3317.
This is the story of Nancy Branch.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
discussing a mystery that has gripped California for decades. On
December sixth, nineteen ninety two, a single engine plane lifted
(00:22):
off from the Santa Barbara Airport headed for Palo Alto, California.
On board for four people, two couples, young in love
and full of promise, but they were never seen again.
Among them was a twenty nine year old young woman
(00:44):
who was a rising star in the tech world and
a Stanford graduate. This is the story of Nancy Branch.
Nancy Branch was thriving. She had earned a psychology degree
from Stanford University and was working at Advanced micro Devices
(01:04):
in sunny Vale, California. It was there she met her fiance,
Kevin Clark, a fellow professional and a licensed private pilot.
In early December nineteen ninety two, Nancy and Kevin joined
their close friends Alan and Amy Stewart for a weekend
trip to Santa Barbara. Alan and Amy had been married
(01:28):
just six weeks earlier. The four friends were young, successful,
and excited for what the future held. On December sixth,
they boarded a Piper Archer, a small single engine aircraft
piloted by Kevin Clark. They were expected to return to
(01:49):
Paolo Alto by early afternoon. Shortly after takeoff, Kevin made
a routine radio call to air traffic control. That was
the last time anyone heard from them. Approximately eight minutes
after departure, the plane vanished. As soon as the aircraft
(02:11):
was reported overdue, a multi agency search effort began. The
Civil Air Patrol, the US Coast Guard, and volunteers launched
a wide scale search, hombing the Pacific coastline and the
rugged terrain between Santa Barbara and Palo Alto. More than
(02:34):
seven thousand square miles were covered in the days following
the disappearance. Search teams utilized helicopters, fixed wing aircrafts, boats,
and ground crews. Areas of particular focus included the mountainous
terrain near Big Basin Redwood State Park, dense forests with
(02:57):
towering redwoods and steep canyon, as well as the coastal
waters where a crash could have gone undetected. Despite all efforts,
no wreckage was ever found, no bodies, no debris, no
emergency signals. The aircraft and its passengers had vanished without
(03:23):
a trace. Nancy Elizabeth Branch was just twenty nine years old.
Her educational and professional accomplishments reflected her dedication and drive,
but those who knew her remembered more than just her resume.
(03:44):
She was known for her intelligence, her compassion, and her
quiet strength. She and Kevin had a life planned out together, careers, marriage,
possibly graduate school in the future. The Stewarts, too, had
their whole lives ahead of them. They were scheduled to
(04:06):
depart for their honeymoon in South Africa just weeks later.
It was a devastating loss for four families and an
enduring mystery that continues to haunt the California coast till
this day. So what happened? The weather that day was
(04:28):
reportedly poor, low visibility, high winds, and intermittent rain. While
the flight departed during a clear moment, conditions may have
quickly deteriorated. Investigators considered several possibilities spatial disorientation due to
(04:49):
the weather, mechanical failure, or even fuel related issues, but
with no physical evidence, everything remains speculative. One lead pointed
searchers to the Big Basin Redwoods area. The terrain there
(05:11):
is so dense that even a small wreck could go
unnoticed for years. Despite extensive aerial and ground searches, nothing
was ever found. Some believe the plane may have gone
down in the Pacific. The ocean's depth along California's coast
are among the steepest in the world, dropping sharply into cold,
(05:34):
dark waters that are notoriously difficult to search. There were
no known radar tracks of the aircraft after departure, and
the emergency locator transmitter, which should have activated the crash,
never sent a signal. As of today, more than three
(05:54):
decades later, Nancy Branch and the others still remain missing,
with no confirmed sightings, no wreckage, and no answers. Time
has passed, but the story hasn't faded. Every few years
(06:14):
new tips or possible wreckage sightings are reported, but none
that have linked to this flight. With the growing availability
of satellite imagery and technology, some believe answers may still
be possible, but until then, the disappearance of Nancy Branch,
(06:38):
Keaven Clark, and Alan and Amy Stewart remains an unsolved mystery.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families of Nancy,
Kevin Amy, and Allen. I hope one day their loved
ones are able to receive some type of closure and
finally yet anti, especially after thirty years of silence. Anyone
(07:06):
with information about this case should contact the Menlo Park
Police Department. Their number can be found in the description
box below. As we close out this episode, don't forget
to hit the follow button to stay updated on this
case and others like it. Be sure to subscribe to
(07:27):
Hunting for Answers on YouTube and follow us on Instagram
and TikTok for more true crime updates. And if you
enjoyed this episode, leave us a five star rating. Thank
you so much for joining us on another episode Until
next time. Hunting for Answers is a production of the
(07:58):
Black Effect Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black
Effect Podcast Network, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
discussing a mystery that has gripped California for decades. On
December sixth, nineteen ninety two, a single engine plane lifted
(00:22):
off from the Santa Barbara Airport headed for Palo Alto, California.
On board for four people, two couples, young in love
and full of promise, but they were never seen again.
Among them was a twenty nine year old young woman
(00:44):
who was a rising star in the tech world and
a Stanford graduate. This is the story of Nancy Branch.
Nancy Branch was thriving. She had earned a psychology degree
from Stanford University and was working at Advanced micro Devices
(01:04):
in sunny Vale, California. It was there she met her fiance,
Kevin Clark, a fellow professional and a licensed private pilot.
In early December nineteen ninety two, Nancy and Kevin joined
their close friends Alan and Amy Stewart for a weekend
trip to Santa Barbara. Alan and Amy had been married
(01:28):
just six weeks earlier. The four friends were young, successful,
and excited for what the future held. On December sixth,
they boarded a Piper Archer, a small single engine aircraft
piloted by Kevin Clark. They were expected to return to
(01:49):
Paolo Alto by early afternoon. Shortly after takeoff, Kevin made
a routine radio call to air traffic control. That was
the last time anyone heard from them. Approximately eight minutes
after departure, the plane vanished. As soon as the aircraft
(02:11):
was reported overdue, a multi agency search effort began. The
Civil Air Patrol, the US Coast Guard, and volunteers launched
a wide scale search, hombing the Pacific coastline and the
rugged terrain between Santa Barbara and Palo Alto. More than
(02:34):
seven thousand square miles were covered in the days following
the disappearance. Search teams utilized helicopters, fixed wing aircrafts, boats,
and ground crews. Areas of particular focus included the mountainous
terrain near Big Basin Redwood State Park, dense forests with
(02:57):
towering redwoods and steep canyon, as well as the coastal
waters where a crash could have gone undetected. Despite all efforts,
no wreckage was ever found, no bodies, no debris, no
emergency signals. The aircraft and its passengers had vanished without
(03:23):
a trace. Nancy Elizabeth Branch was just twenty nine years old.
Her educational and professional accomplishments reflected her dedication and drive,
but those who knew her remembered more than just her resume.
(03:44):
She was known for her intelligence, her compassion, and her
quiet strength. She and Kevin had a life planned out together, careers, marriage,
possibly graduate school in the future. The Stewarts, too, had
their whole lives ahead of them. They were scheduled to
(04:06):
depart for their honeymoon in South Africa just weeks later.
It was a devastating loss for four families and an
enduring mystery that continues to haunt the California coast till
this day. So what happened? The weather that day was
(04:28):
reportedly poor, low visibility, high winds, and intermittent rain. While
the flight departed during a clear moment, conditions may have
quickly deteriorated. Investigators considered several possibilities spatial disorientation due to
(04:49):
the weather, mechanical failure, or even fuel related issues, but
with no physical evidence, everything remains speculative. One lead pointed
searchers to the Big Basin Redwoods area. The terrain there
(05:11):
is so dense that even a small wreck could go
unnoticed for years. Despite extensive aerial and ground searches, nothing
was ever found. Some believe the plane may have gone
down in the Pacific. The ocean's depth along California's coast
are among the steepest in the world, dropping sharply into cold,
(05:34):
dark waters that are notoriously difficult to search. There were
no known radar tracks of the aircraft after departure, and
the emergency locator transmitter, which should have activated the crash,
never sent a signal. As of today, more than three
(05:54):
decades later, Nancy Branch and the others still remain missing,
with no confirmed sightings, no wreckage, and no answers. Time
has passed, but the story hasn't faded. Every few years
(06:14):
new tips or possible wreckage sightings are reported, but none
that have linked to this flight. With the growing availability
of satellite imagery and technology, some believe answers may still
be possible, but until then, the disappearance of Nancy Branch,
(06:38):
Keaven Clark, and Alan and Amy Stewart remains an unsolved mystery.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families of Nancy,
Kevin Amy, and Allen. I hope one day their loved
ones are able to receive some type of closure and
finally yet anti, especially after thirty years of silence. Anyone
(07:06):
with information about this case should contact the Menlo Park
Police Department. Their number can be found in the description
box below. As we close out this episode, don't forget
to hit the follow button to stay updated on this
case and others like it. Be sure to subscribe to
(07:27):
Hunting for Answers on YouTube and follow us on Instagram
and TikTok for more true crime updates. And if you
enjoyed this episode, leave us a five star rating. Thank
you so much for joining us on another episode Until
next time. Hunting for Answers is a production of the
(07:58):
Black Effect Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black
Effect Podcast Network, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Host
Hunter Gilmore
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