The remains of Norman and Beverly Wascher, a Thousand Oaks couple killed in a 1977 plane crash, were discovered Sept. 2 by a logging crew in Stafford, Calif., according to officials with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department.

The Waschers were flying their small, private plane from Murray Field, north of Eureka, and were in route to Santa Barbara when their plane crashed in Stafford, police said. Stafford is a densely forested area about 30 miles south of Eureka.

The couple was reported missing on June 19, 1977 shortly after takeoff, when they lost radio communication.

The Waschers’ plane was discovered in 1996, but due to the area’s dense forest and steep terrain, local authorities were unable to locate the couple. The remains were found approximately 450 feet down a steep embankment from the crash site, the police report said.

Humboldt County Coroner Frank Jager said he is “99 percent” certain the remains are those of the Thousand Oaks couple. Jager said a gold bracelet with the name of Norman’s employer was discovered in clothing found near the bodies. The clothing also matched information originally given to authorities.

Officials with the sheriff’s department said the evidence found, as well as the proximity of the remains to the plane crash, led local authorities to believe they have located the Waschers.

Jager said dental records, which are expected within the next month, would be needed to officially identify the bodies. If the records cannot be located, the coroner said, DNA testing could also be used to verify the couple’s identities.

The Waschers were in Northern California visiting their daughter, who was attending college in the area. The couple had three daughters, Robin, Heidi and Cherie.