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List of missing aircraft

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of missing aircraft

This list of missing aircraft includes aircraft that have disappeared and whose locations are unknown. According to Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization, an aircraft is considered to be missing "when the official search has been terminated and the wreckage has not been located". However, there still remains a "grey area" on how much wreckage needs to be found for a plane to be declared "recovered". This list does not include every aviator, or even every air passenger that has ever gone missing as these are separate categories. In the tables below, each missing aircraft is defined (in the Aircraft column) using one or more identifying features. If the aircraft was known by a custom or personalized name (e . Pathfinder), that name is presented first (in italics) followed by the aircraft type (in parentheses). The make of aircraft, although not necessarily a unique identifier, is also provided where appropriate. Aircraft registrations began to be used in the early 20th century for individual identification, so this is also included in the later tables (in parentheses).

Tables

· 19th century
June 28, 1856
June 28, 1856
Date
June 28, 1856
Aircraft
Ville de Paris (hot air balloon)
People missing
1 (Matías Pérez)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Straits of Florida)
Remarks
The Cuban expression: Voló como Matías Pérez (meaning "He flew like Matias Perez") has since been known to be used when a person wishes to emphasize the situation of a missing person or object.
September 28, 1879
September 28, 1879
Date
September 28, 1879
Aircraft
Pathfinder (hydrogen balloon)
People missing
2 (John Wise & George Burr)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
United States (Lake Michigan)
Remarks
The body of George Burr was later recovered from Lake Michigan.
December 10, 1881
December 10, 1881
Date
December 10, 1881
Aircraft
Saladin (hydrogen balloon)
People missing
1 (Walter Powell)
Type of incident
Loss of control
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Eype Mouth, UK)
Remarks
Powell was MP for Malmesbury when he disappeared.
July 16, 1889
July 16, 1889
Date
July 16, 1889
Aircraft
Peter Campbell Airship, America (demonstration flight)
People missing
1 (Edward D. Hogan)
Type of incident
Mechanical failure
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (E. of Atlantic City, New Jersey)
Remarks
This was one of Professor P. C. [Peter Carmant] Campbell's airships. The pilot was Edward D. Hogan (1852–1889).
July 14, 1897
July 14, 1897
Date
July 14, 1897
Aircraft
Örnen (Eagle) (attempted North Pole flight)
People missing
3 (S. A. Andrée, Knut Frænkel, and Nils Strindberg)
Type of incident
Loss of control
Location (assumed)
Arctic Ocean (North of Svalbard)
Remarks
This was part of a failed Swedish effort to reach the North Pole, resulting in the deaths of all three expedition members. While the bodies were later recovered, the balloon (other than some cloth) was never found.
Date
Aircraft
People missing
Type of incident
Location (assumed)
Remarks
June 28, 1856
Ville de Paris (hot air balloon)
1 (Matías Pérez)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Straits of Florida)
The Cuban expression: Voló como Matías Pérez (meaning "He flew like Matias Perez") has since been known to be used when a person wishes to emphasize the situation of a missing person or object.
September 28, 1879
Pathfinder (hydrogen balloon)
2 (John Wise & George Burr)
Unknown
United States (Lake Michigan)
The body of George Burr was later recovered from Lake Michigan.
December 10, 1881
Saladin (hydrogen balloon)
1 (Walter Powell)
Loss of control
North Atlantic Ocean (Eype Mouth, UK)
Powell was MP for Malmesbury when he disappeared.
July 16, 1889
Peter Campbell Airship, America (demonstration flight)
1 (Edward D. Hogan)
Mechanical failure
North Atlantic Ocean (E. of Atlantic City, New Jersey)
This was one of Professor P. C. [Peter Carmant] Campbell's airships. The pilot was Edward D. Hogan (1852–1889).
July 14, 1897
Örnen (Eagle) (attempted North Pole flight)
3 (S. A. Andrée, Knut Frænkel, and Nils Strindberg)
Loss of control
Arctic Ocean (North of Svalbard)
This was part of a failed Swedish effort to reach the North Pole, resulting in the deaths of all three expedition members. While the bodies were later recovered, the balloon (other than some cloth) was never found.
· 20th century › 1901–1919
December 1, 1907
December 1, 1907
Date
December 1, 1907
Aircraft
Patrie (semi-rigid airship)
People missing
0
Type of incident
Mechanical problem & storm loss
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean (off the Hebrides)
Remarks
Stranded away from her base on 29 November, torn loose from moorings on 30 November, and last seen by a steamship on 1 December.
October 17, 1908
October 17, 1908
Date
October 17, 1908
Aircraft
Pampero (coal gas balloon)
People missing
2 (Eduardo Newbery & Eduardo Romero)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Argentina (River Plate)
Remarks
First Argentines ever to perish in an aircraft accident
October 18, 1910
October 18, 1910
Date
October 18, 1910
Aircraft
America (non-rigid airship)
People missing
0
Type of incident
Engine failure
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (W. of Bermuda)
Remarks
Occupants rescued by merchant vessel after abandoning ship
December 22, 1910
December 22, 1910
Date
December 22, 1910
Aircraft
Cecil Grace No. 3 (Short S )
People missing
1 (Cecil Grace)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel)
Remarks
Returning from unsuccessful attempt at Baron de Forest Prize en route from Calais to Dover. Body possibly found on March 14, 1911.
June 5, 1911
June 5, 1911
Date
June 5, 1911
Aircraft
Blériot XI
People missing
1 (Édouard Bague)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean, near Cap d'Antibes)
Remarks
Attempted first flight across the Mediterranean
April 18, 1912
April 18, 1912
Date
April 18, 1912
Aircraft
Blériot XI
People missing
1 (Damer Leslie Allen)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Irish Sea, near Anglesey)
Remarks
Attempted first flight from Wales to Ireland
October 13, 1913
October 13, 1913
Date
October 13, 1913
Aircraft
Blériot XI
People missing
1 (Albert Jewell)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (S. of Long Island, NY)
Remarks
Intended to compete in The New York Times American Aerial Derby.
March 14, 1914
March 14, 1914
Date
March 14, 1914
Aircraft
Manuel Rodríguez (Sánchez-Besa biplane)
People missing
1 (Alejandro Bello Silva)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Chile (Central)
Remarks
Bello was undertaking a military training flight to become a pilot.
May 23, 1914
May 23, 1914
Date
May 23, 1914
Aircraft
Morane-Saulnier (model unknown)
People missing
1 (Gustav Hamel)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel)
Remarks
This plane was en route from Hardelot to Hendon Aerodrome. An unidentified corpse was found on July 6, 1914, that might have been Hamel's.
November 7, 1916
November 7, 1916
Date
November 7, 1916
Aircraft
LZ60 (Zeppelin)
People missing
0
Type of incident
Weather (storm loss)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Remarks
This Zeppelin was unmanned when it broke free of its mooring and drifted away.
October 17, 1918
October 17, 1918
Date
October 17, 1918
Aircraft
Hewitt-Sperry Automatic Airplane N-9
People missing
0
Type of incident
Malfunction
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (S. of Long Island, NY)
Remarks
Unmanned test flight, last seen over the Naval Air Station Bay Shore at an altitude of 4,000 feet (1220 m) heading east.
June 2, 1919
June 2, 1919
Date
June 2, 1919
Aircraft
Sopwith Camel
People missing
1 (Mansell Richard James)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
United States (New England)
Remarks
James was involved in an air race from Boston to New York City. Although wreckage was found, it was never positively identified.
December 9, 1919
December 9, 1919
Date
December 9, 1919
Aircraft
Martinsyde (type A Mk )
People missing
2 (Cedric Howell & George H. Fraser)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean, near St George's Bay, Corfu)
Remarks
These two men were involved in an air race from England to Australia. The airframe & corpse of Cedric Howell (pilot) were eventually recovered.
Date
Aircraft
People missing
Type of incident
Location (assumed)
Remarks
December 1, 1907
Patrie (semi-rigid airship)
0
Mechanical problem & storm loss
Atlantic Ocean (off the Hebrides)
Stranded away from her base on 29 November, torn loose from moorings on 30 November, and last seen by a steamship on 1 December.
October 17, 1908
Pampero (coal gas balloon)
2 (Eduardo Newbery & Eduardo Romero)
Unknown
Argentina (River Plate)
First Argentines ever to perish in an aircraft accident
October 18, 1910
America (non-rigid airship)
0
Engine failure
North Atlantic Ocean (W. of Bermuda)
Occupants rescued by merchant vessel after abandoning ship
December 22, 1910
Cecil Grace No. 3 (Short S )
1 (Cecil Grace)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel)
Returning from unsuccessful attempt at Baron de Forest Prize en route from Calais to Dover. Body possibly found on March 14, 1911.
June 5, 1911
Blériot XI
1 (Édouard Bague)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean, near Cap d'Antibes)
Attempted first flight across the Mediterranean
April 18, 1912
Blériot XI
1 (Damer Leslie Allen)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Irish Sea, near Anglesey)
Attempted first flight from Wales to Ireland
October 13, 1913
Blériot XI
1 (Albert Jewell)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (S. of Long Island, NY)
Intended to compete in The New York Times American Aerial Derby.
March 14, 1914
Manuel Rodríguez (Sánchez-Besa biplane)
1 (Alejandro Bello Silva)
Unknown
Chile (Central)
Bello was undertaking a military training flight to become a pilot.
May 23, 1914
Morane-Saulnier (model unknown)
1 (Gustav Hamel)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel)
This plane was en route from Hardelot to Hendon Aerodrome. An unidentified corpse was found on July 6, 1914, that might have been Hamel's.
November 7, 1916
LZ60 (Zeppelin)
0
Weather (storm loss)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
This Zeppelin was unmanned when it broke free of its mooring and drifted away.
October 17, 1918
Hewitt-Sperry Automatic Airplane N-9
0
Malfunction
North Atlantic Ocean (S. of Long Island, NY)
Unmanned test flight, last seen over the Naval Air Station Bay Shore at an altitude of 4,000 feet (1220 m) heading east.
June 2, 1919
Sopwith Camel
1 (Mansell Richard James)
Unknown
United States (New England)
James was involved in an air race from Boston to New York City. Although wreckage was found, it was never positively identified.
December 9, 1919
Martinsyde (type A Mk )
2 (Cedric Howell & George H. Fraser)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean, near St George's Bay, Corfu)
These two men were involved in an air race from England to Australia. The airframe & corpse of Cedric Howell (pilot) were eventually recovered.
· 20th century › 1920–1939
April 24, 1924
April 24, 1924
Date
April 24, 1924
Aircraft
Fokker F (H-NABS)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Remarks
KLM passenger flight from Lympne to Rotterdam.
May 5, 1927
May 5, 1927
Date
May 5, 1927
Aircraft
Farman F Goliath (F-ADFN)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
SGTA cargo flight from St. Louis to Petrolina. A Brazilian fisherman claimed to have found a wheel from the missing plane June 18 that year.
May 8, 1927
May 8, 1927
Date
May 8, 1927
Aircraft
L'Oiseau Blanc (Levasseur PL )
People missing
2 (François Coli & Charles Nungesser)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean or Maine
Remarks
This was an attempted transatlantic flight competing for the Orteig Prize.
May 26, 1927
May 26, 1927
Date
May 26, 1927
Aircraft
Airco DH (G-IAAB)
People missing
2 (John James Crofts Cocks & LAC Rowston)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Turkey (Konya & Eskişehir or Kütahya & Bandırma)
Remarks
Cocks and Rowston left on a private flight on May 11 from Lahore, British India to Lympne, England.
August 16, 1927
August 16, 1927
Date
August 16, 1927
Aircraft
Golden Eagle (NX913)
People missing
2 (Jack Frost & Gordon Scott)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean
Remarks
Competitor in Dole Air Race.
August 16, 1927
August 16, 1927
Date
August 16, 1927
Aircraft
Miss Doran (NX2915)
People missing
3 (John "Augie" Pedlar, Vilas R. Knope & Mildred Doran)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean
Remarks
Competitor in Dole Air Race.
August 19, 1927
August 19, 1927
Date
August 19, 1927
Aircraft
Dallas Spirit (NX941)
People missing
2 (William Portwood Erwin & Alvin Eichwaldt)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean
Remarks
Competitor in Dole Air Race, searching for Miss Doran & Golden Eagle.
August 31, 1927
August 31, 1927
Date
August 31, 1927
Aircraft
Saint Raphael (Fokker F )
People missing
3 (Frederick F. Minchin, Leslie Hamilton & Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near Newfoundland)
Remarks
Attempted transatlantic flight (east to west).
November 16, 1927
November 16, 1927
Date
November 16, 1927
Aircraft
Junkers F13 (with floats) K-SALD
People missing
4
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
Gulf of Finland
Remarks
Aero OY passenger flight from Tallinn to Helsinki carrying two Finnish Army officers, a pilot, and a flight mechanic. Extreme fog present at time of disappearance. Finnish Air Force and Navy and Estonian Navy searches found no trace of the aircraft.
December 23, 1927
December 23, 1927
Date
December 23, 1927
Aircraft
The Dawn (Sikorsky S-36)
People missing
4 (Oskar Omdal, Brice Goldsborough, Frank Koehler & Frances Wilson Grayson)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near Nova Scotia)
Remarks
Intended to attempt Newfoundland to London flight.
January 10, 1928
January 10, 1928
Date
January 10, 1928
Aircraft
Aotearoa (Ryan B-1 Brougham, G-AUNZ)
People missing
2 (John Robert Moncrieff & George Hood)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
South Pacific Ocean (Tasman Sea)
Remarks
Departed from Sydney, Australia for Trentham, New Zealand. Radio signals ceased when the aircraft should have been about two hours out from New Zealand; see Moncrieff and Hood disappearance
March 13, 1928
March 13, 1928
Date
March 13, 1928
Aircraft
Endeavour (Stinson SM-1 Detroiter)
People missing
2 (Walter G. R. Hinchliffe & Elsie Mackay)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Attempted transatlantic flight (east to west).
May 25, 1928
May 25, 1928
Date
May 25, 1928
Aircraft
Italia (airship)
People missing
6 (Aldo Pontremoli, Renato Alessandrini, Ugo Lago, Ettore Arduino, Calisto Ciocca & Attilio Caratti)
Type of incident
Crash landing
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Barents Sea)
Remarks
One person died in the crash, subsequent searches were unsuccessful. Notable people who disappeared included Aldo Pontremoli.
June 18, 1928
June 18, 1928
Date
June 18, 1928
Aircraft
Latham 47
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Barents Sea)
Remarks
This group was searching for survivors of the missing airship Italia. Roald Amundsen and René Guilbaud were among the missing attempted rescuers.
September 6, 1928
September 6, 1928
Date
September 6, 1928
Aircraft
R Blackburn (N9834)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Remarks
Pilot Officer Samuel Hatton, Lt. Charles Sheldon Booth RN and Telegraphist Edmund George Bourke Grigson missing; No. 422 (Fleet Spotter) Flight, HMS Argus.
August 19, 1929
August 19, 1929
Date
August 19, 1929
Aircraft
Jung Schweizerland (Farman F , CH-245)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Disappeared with 2 Swiss pilots during attempted transatlantic flight from Lisbon to New York.
December 24, 1929
December 24, 1929
Date
December 24, 1929
Aircraft
CMASA/Dornier Do J Wal Asso 500 Cabina (I-AZDB)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Ditching
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Aegean Sea)
Remarks
Aero Espresso Italiana flight from Istanbul to Athens. Signaled passing Isola d'Strati at 12:30 but made an emergency landing at 13:00 near Agios Eustratios at 39 , 24 . Nothing found.
December 26, 1929
December 26, 1929
Date
December 26, 1929
Aircraft
de Havilland DH Moth (N-42)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Antarctica (South Pole area)
Remarks
Hvalfangstselskapet Kosmos A/S aircraft flying out of the whaling vessel Kosmos. Pilot Leif Lier and observer Dr. Ingvald Schreiner lost.
November 21, 1930
November 21, 1930
Date
November 21, 1930
Aircraft
Dornier Do R4 Superwal (I-RONY)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
Remarks
SANA passenger flight from Barcelona to Marseille. Last known radio contact was at 09:40 off of Cap de Creus. Part of the wreckage was found on December 5, 30 miles off between Leucate and Port-Vendres.
February 1, 1932
February 1, 1932
Date
February 1, 1932
Aircraft
Fairchild (model and registration unknown)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Straits of Florida)
Remarks
Disappeared during a 45-minute Bimini Airlines flight from Miami to Bimini. Piloted by Cal Chik, the passengers were suspected bootlegger Phillip Mannes and three unnamed employees (two white and one black). Search called off February 3rd.
May 30, 1932
May 30, 1932
Date
May 30, 1932
Aircraft
de Havilland DH Moth (CF-AGL)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador)
Remarks
Arthur Sullivan (pilot), Dr Kurt K. (Karl) Kuenhert vanished on pleasure flight.
August 12, 1932
August 12, 1932
Date
August 12, 1932
Aircraft
Avro 616 Avian IVM (G-AAKA)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Indian Ocean (Gulf of Martaban)
Remarks
English planters, G . Salt and F . Taylor left for England on a pleasure flight.
September 14, 1932
September 14, 1932
Date
September 14, 1932
Aircraft
The American Nurse (Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket, NR796W)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near Cape Finisterre, Spain)
Remarks
Attempted New York City to Rome flight
June 20, 1933
June 20, 1933
Date
June 20, 1933
Aircraft
Cuatro Vientos (Br TF Super Bidon)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Mexico (near Villahermosa)
Remarks
The duo were on their final leg of the flight that went from Seville to Mexico City.
July 18, 1933
July 18, 1933
Date
July 18, 1933
Aircraft
CMASA Wal (I-AZEE)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Ditching
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Aegean Sea)
Remarks
Aero Espresso Italiana flight from Athens to Rhodes forced to ditch due to gale-force winds. SAR operations by Greece and Italy were unsuccessful.
December 3, 1934
December 3, 1934
Date
December 3, 1934
Aircraft
Stella Australis (Airspeed Envoy)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Fuel starvation
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (near Hawaii)
Remarks
Charles Ulm disappeared along with copilot G . Littlejohn and navigator/radio operator J . Skilling. It is most probable that the aircraft overflew Hawaii.
December 21, 1934
December 21, 1934
Date
December 21, 1934
Aircraft
Trimotor Hydroplane (Bach 3-CT-6 Air Yacht, NC850E)
People missing
7
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean (Gulf of California)
Remarks
Líneas Aéreas Occidentales (LAO) passenger flight from Mazatlán to La Paz. 2 Americans (pilot and mechanic) and 5 Mexicans (2 male, 2 female, and a female infant) on board; no trace found.
November 8, 1935
November 8, 1935
Date
November 8, 1935
Aircraft
Lady Southern Cross (Lockheed Altair)
People missing
2 (Charles Kingsford Smith & John T. Pethybridge)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Indian Ocean (Andaman Sea)
Remarks
Attempt to break the England to Australia speed record. Only the undercarriage leg and wheel has ever been found.
January 21, 1936
January 21, 1936
Date
January 21, 1936
Aircraft
Dauphine (CAMS 53-1, F-AJIR)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Engine failure
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
Remarks
Air France passenger flight from Marseille to Ajaccio and Tunis. Vanished off of Corsica after sending a distress call.
February 10, 1936
February 10, 1936
Date
February 10, 1936
Aircraft
Ville de Buenos Aires (Latécoère 301, F-AOIK)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Weather (storm loss)
Location (assumed)
South Atlantic Ocean (near Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago)
Remarks
Notable people lost include Émile Barrière. The nonstop flight from Natal, Brazil was operated by Air France.
February 15, 1936
February 15, 1936
Date
February 15, 1936
Aircraft
Tornado (Dornier Do J-2F Bos Wal, D-ADYS)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
South Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Lost during a Deutsche Lufthansa cargo flight from Natal to Bodensee via Bathurst.
December 7, 1936
December 7, 1936
Date
December 7, 1936
Aircraft
Croix-du-Sud (Latécoère 300)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Engine failure (presumed)
Location (assumed)
South Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
A final incomplete radio message reported engine failure minutes after the last position report. Notable lost passengers included Jean Mermoz.
February 15, 1937
February 15, 1937
Date
February 15, 1937
Aircraft
Blackburn Shark (K5619)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
Remarks
The crew of this military patrol included Sub-Lt George Eric Lake, Lt Roderick W. MacDonald, & Telegraphist William H. Currie. They were all from the 821st Naval Air Squadron Fleet Air Arm of HMS Courageous.
July 2, 1937
July 2, 1937
Date
July 2, 1937
Aircraft
Lockheed Electra 10E (NR 16020)
People missing
2 (Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan)
Type of incident
Fuel starvation (most likely)
Location (assumed)
Central Pacific Ocean (Numerous theories exist on location)
Remarks
This is perhaps one of the most famous aerial disappearances of all time. Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan were on their third-from-last leg of an attempted round-the-world flight when they went missing. At the time, the search for Earhart was the largest of its kind in history.
August 13, 1937
August 13, 1937
Date
August 13, 1937
Aircraft
Bolkhovitinov DB-A (prototype)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Arctic Ocean
Remarks
Sigizmund Levanevsky was among the passengers that went missing. This was an attempted long-distance flight from Moscow to Fairbanks, Alaska, via the North Pole. Possible wreckage of the plane was sighted on the sea floor in 1999.
October 27, 1937
October 27, 1937
Date
October 27, 1937
Aircraft
Antares (Dewoitine D , F-ANQA)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near El Jadida)
Remarks
Air France passenger flight from Dakar to Toulouse lost before a stopover in Casablanca. Crew reported passing Agadir at 03:05 but sent an SOS call received at 04:23. 2 mail bags washed up on the beach, but no wreckage was recovered.
February 13, 1938
February 13, 1938
Date
February 13, 1938
Aircraft
CANT Z-506 (I-ORIA)
People missing
14
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
Remarks
Ala Littoria flight from Cádiz to Rome with stopovers in Pollença and Alghero, lost in a storm shortly after second stop at 14:30.
April 4, 1938
April 4, 1938
Date
April 4, 1938
Aircraft
Vickers Vildebeest Mark II (K2944)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (Singapore Strait)
Remarks
The flight crew consisted of Sgt. W . Roberts (pilot), AC1 E . Beisly & AC1 M . Hunter of No. 100 Sqn RAF, RAF Seletar, Singapore.
April 17, 1938
April 17, 1938
Date
April 17, 1938
Aircraft
Taylor Cub
People missing
1 (Andrew Carnegie Whitfield)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near Long Island, United States)
Remarks
This was a private flight.
July 28, 1938
July 28, 1938
Date
July 28, 1938
Aircraft
Hawaii Clipper (Martin M-130, NC14714)
People missing
15
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (East of the Philippine coast)
Remarks
Main article: Pan Am Flight 229
August 6, 1938
August 6, 1938
Date
August 6, 1938
Aircraft
Hawker Hector (K9759)
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea off Blackhall Rocks)
Remarks
Lost: P/O Douglas St Quentin Robinson, No. 13 Sqn RAF, RAF Odiham.
August 8, 1938
August 8, 1938
Date
August 8, 1938
Aircraft
Avro Anson (K8831)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea off Bridlington)
Remarks
Lost: Sgt. Cecil Joseph Le Patrick Gordon (pilot), AC2 Thomas Charles Andrews, AC1 Melville George Brand, AC1 Leslie Freeman, No. 233 Sqn RAF, RAF Thornaby.
October 1, 1938
October 1, 1938
Date
October 1, 1938
Aircraft
Pampero (Dornier Do 18, D-AROZ)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (off Bathurst)
Remarks
Deutsche Lufthansa flight from Natal that was just a few minutes from landing.
October 6, 1938
October 6, 1938
Date
October 6, 1938
Aircraft
Handley Page H Harrow (K6971)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Weather (storm loss)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel off Dungeness)
Remarks
Lost: F/O D . Hamilton, P/O R . Haynes, P/O T . Munro, LAC C . Lodge & AC1 T. Prowse, No. 215 Sqn, RAF Honington, Suffolk.
May 9, 1939
May 9, 1939
Date
May 9, 1939
Aircraft
Westland Wallace (K3570)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Fouling of tail by towing cable
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Remarks
Lost: P/O M . Lloyd & AC J. Flannery of No. 1 Air Armament School.
May 16, 1939
May 16, 1939
Date
May 16, 1939
Aircraft
Monocoupe 90A (SE-AGM/NX19421)
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Swedish-American pilot Carl Backman took the registration SE-AGM from a Areonca C-3 in his hometown of Leksand and used on this plane on an attempted flight from the US to Sweden. Planned route was from St. Louis to Rommehed with stops in Bangor and Gander; disappeared on last leg of flight.
August 9, 1939
August 9, 1939
Date
August 9, 1939
Aircraft
Vickers Wellington I (L4258)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Remarks
Lost: F/O T . Darling, P/O F . Board, A/Sgt A. Linkley, AC1 R , Collins & AC1 J . Sadler of No. 149 Sqn RAF.
August 11, 1939
August 11, 1939
Date
August 11, 1939
Aircraft
Shalom (Ryan C-2 Foursome)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
NYC to Palestine flight by Betar activists Alex Loeb and Richard Decker.
August 19, 1939
August 19, 1939
Date
August 19, 1939
Aircraft
Supermarine Stranraer
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Remarks
Lost: Act. Flt. Lt. F . King, F/O A . Barber, LAC D. Fulcher, AC1 D . Ash, AC1 L . Freshwater & AC1 W . Jeckells, No. 209 Sqn RAF, RAF Invergordon, Ross & Cromarty.
Date
Aircraft
People missing
Type of incident
Location (assumed)
Remarks
April 24, 1924
Fokker F (H-NABS)
3
Unknown
Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
KLM passenger flight from Lympne to Rotterdam.
May 5, 1927
Farman F Goliath (F-ADFN)
4
Unknown
Atlantic Ocean
SGTA cargo flight from St. Louis to Petrolina. A Brazilian fisherman claimed to have found a wheel from the missing plane June 18 that year.
May 8, 1927
L'Oiseau Blanc (Levasseur PL )
2 (François Coli & Charles Nungesser)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean or Maine
This was an attempted transatlantic flight competing for the Orteig Prize.
May 26, 1927
Airco DH (G-IAAB)
2 (John James Crofts Cocks & LAC Rowston)
Unknown
Turkey (Konya & Eskişehir or Kütahya & Bandırma)
Cocks and Rowston left on a private flight on May 11 from Lahore, British India to Lympne, England.
August 16, 1927
Golden Eagle (NX913)
2 (Jack Frost & Gordon Scott)
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean
Competitor in Dole Air Race.
August 16, 1927
Miss Doran (NX2915)
3 (John "Augie" Pedlar, Vilas R. Knope & Mildred Doran)
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean
Competitor in Dole Air Race.
August 19, 1927
Dallas Spirit (NX941)
2 (William Portwood Erwin & Alvin Eichwaldt)
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean
Competitor in Dole Air Race, searching for Miss Doran & Golden Eagle.
August 31, 1927
Saint Raphael (Fokker F )
3 (Frederick F. Minchin, Leslie Hamilton & Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near Newfoundland)
Attempted transatlantic flight (east to west).
November 16, 1927
Junkers F13 (with floats) K-SALD
4
Weather (presumed)
Gulf of Finland
Aero OY passenger flight from Tallinn to Helsinki carrying two Finnish Army officers, a pilot, and a flight mechanic. Extreme fog present at time of disappearance. Finnish Air Force and Navy and Estonian Navy searches found no trace of the aircraft.
December 23, 1927
The Dawn (Sikorsky S-36)
4 (Oskar Omdal, Brice Goldsborough, Frank Koehler & Frances Wilson Grayson)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near Nova Scotia)
Intended to attempt Newfoundland to London flight.
January 10, 1928
Aotearoa (Ryan B-1 Brougham, G-AUNZ)
2 (John Robert Moncrieff & George Hood)
Unknown
South Pacific Ocean (Tasman Sea)
Departed from Sydney, Australia for Trentham, New Zealand. Radio signals ceased when the aircraft should have been about two hours out from New Zealand; see Moncrieff and Hood disappearance
March 13, 1928
Endeavour (Stinson SM-1 Detroiter)
2 (Walter G. R. Hinchliffe & Elsie Mackay)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean
Attempted transatlantic flight (east to west).
May 25, 1928
Italia (airship)
6 (Aldo Pontremoli, Renato Alessandrini, Ugo Lago, Ettore Arduino, Calisto Ciocca & Attilio Caratti)
Crash landing
North Atlantic Ocean (Barents Sea)
One person died in the crash, subsequent searches were unsuccessful. Notable people who disappeared included Aldo Pontremoli.
June 18, 1928
Latham 47
6
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Barents Sea)
This group was searching for survivors of the missing airship Italia. Roald Amundsen and René Guilbaud were among the missing attempted rescuers.
September 6, 1928
R Blackburn (N9834)
3
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Pilot Officer Samuel Hatton, Lt. Charles Sheldon Booth RN and Telegraphist Edmund George Bourke Grigson missing; No. 422 (Fleet Spotter) Flight, HMS Argus.
August 19, 1929
Jung Schweizerland (Farman F , CH-245)
2
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean
Disappeared with 2 Swiss pilots during attempted transatlantic flight from Lisbon to New York.
December 24, 1929
CMASA/Dornier Do J Wal Asso 500 Cabina (I-AZDB)
5
Ditching
North Atlantic Ocean (Aegean Sea)
Aero Espresso Italiana flight from Istanbul to Athens. Signaled passing Isola d'Strati at 12:30 but made an emergency landing at 13:00 near Agios Eustratios at 39 , 24 . Nothing found.
December 26, 1929
de Havilland DH Moth (N-42)
2
Unknown
Antarctica (South Pole area)
Hvalfangstselskapet Kosmos A/S aircraft flying out of the whaling vessel Kosmos. Pilot Leif Lier and observer Dr. Ingvald Schreiner lost.
November 21, 1930
Dornier Do R4 Superwal (I-RONY)
6
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
SANA passenger flight from Barcelona to Marseille. Last known radio contact was at 09:40 off of Cap de Creus. Part of the wreckage was found on December 5, 30 miles off between Leucate and Port-Vendres.
February 1, 1932
Fairchild (model and registration unknown)
5
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Straits of Florida)
Disappeared during a 45-minute Bimini Airlines flight from Miami to Bimini. Piloted by Cal Chik, the passengers were suspected bootlegger Phillip Mannes and three unnamed employees (two white and one black). Search called off February 3rd.
May 30, 1932
de Havilland DH Moth (CF-AGL)
2
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador)
Arthur Sullivan (pilot), Dr Kurt K. (Karl) Kuenhert vanished on pleasure flight.
August 12, 1932
Avro 616 Avian IVM (G-AAKA)
2
Unknown
Indian Ocean (Gulf of Martaban)
English planters, G . Salt and F . Taylor left for England on a pleasure flight.
September 14, 1932
The American Nurse (Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket, NR796W)
3
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near Cape Finisterre, Spain)
Attempted New York City to Rome flight
June 20, 1933
Cuatro Vientos (Br TF Super Bidon)
2
Unknown
Mexico (near Villahermosa)
The duo were on their final leg of the flight that went from Seville to Mexico City.
July 18, 1933
CMASA Wal (I-AZEE)
6
Ditching
North Atlantic Ocean (Aegean Sea)
Aero Espresso Italiana flight from Athens to Rhodes forced to ditch due to gale-force winds. SAR operations by Greece and Italy were unsuccessful.
December 3, 1934
Stella Australis (Airspeed Envoy)
3
Fuel starvation
North Pacific Ocean (near Hawaii)
Charles Ulm disappeared along with copilot G . Littlejohn and navigator/radio operator J . Skilling. It is most probable that the aircraft overflew Hawaii.
December 21, 1934
Trimotor Hydroplane (Bach 3-CT-6 Air Yacht, NC850E)
7
Unknown
Pacific Ocean (Gulf of California)
Líneas Aéreas Occidentales (LAO) passenger flight from Mazatlán to La Paz. 2 Americans (pilot and mechanic) and 5 Mexicans (2 male, 2 female, and a female infant) on board; no trace found.
November 8, 1935
Lady Southern Cross (Lockheed Altair)
2 (Charles Kingsford Smith & John T. Pethybridge)
Unknown
Indian Ocean (Andaman Sea)
Attempt to break the England to Australia speed record. Only the undercarriage leg and wheel has ever been found.
January 21, 1936
Dauphine (CAMS 53-1, F-AJIR)
6
Engine failure
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
Air France passenger flight from Marseille to Ajaccio and Tunis. Vanished off of Corsica after sending a distress call.
February 10, 1936
Ville de Buenos Aires (Latécoère 301, F-AOIK)
6
Weather (storm loss)
South Atlantic Ocean (near Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago)
Notable people lost include Émile Barrière. The nonstop flight from Natal, Brazil was operated by Air France.
February 15, 1936
Tornado (Dornier Do J-2F Bos Wal, D-ADYS)
4
Unknown
South Atlantic Ocean
Lost during a Deutsche Lufthansa cargo flight from Natal to Bodensee via Bathurst.
December 7, 1936
Croix-du-Sud (Latécoère 300)
5
Engine failure (presumed)
South Atlantic Ocean
A final incomplete radio message reported engine failure minutes after the last position report. Notable lost passengers included Jean Mermoz.
February 15, 1937
Blackburn Shark (K5619)
3
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
The crew of this military patrol included Sub-Lt George Eric Lake, Lt Roderick W. MacDonald, & Telegraphist William H. Currie. They were all from the 821st Naval Air Squadron Fleet Air Arm of HMS Courageous.
July 2, 1937
Lockheed Electra 10E (NR 16020)
2 (Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan)
Fuel starvation (most likely)
Central Pacific Ocean (Numerous theories exist on location)
This is perhaps one of the most famous aerial disappearances of all time. Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan were on their third-from-last leg of an attempted round-the-world flight when they went missing. At the time, the search for Earhart was the largest of its kind in history.
August 13, 1937
Bolkhovitinov DB-A (prototype)
6
Unknown
Arctic Ocean
Sigizmund Levanevsky was among the passengers that went missing. This was an attempted long-distance flight from Moscow to Fairbanks, Alaska, via the North Pole. Possible wreckage of the plane was sighted on the sea floor in 1999.
October 27, 1937
Antares (Dewoitine D , F-ANQA)
6
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near El Jadida)
Air France passenger flight from Dakar to Toulouse lost before a stopover in Casablanca. Crew reported passing Agadir at 03:05 but sent an SOS call received at 04:23. 2 mail bags washed up on the beach, but no wreckage was recovered.
February 13, 1938
CANT Z-506 (I-ORIA)
14
Weather (presumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea)
Ala Littoria flight from Cádiz to Rome with stopovers in Pollença and Alghero, lost in a storm shortly after second stop at 14:30.
April 4, 1938
Vickers Vildebeest Mark II (K2944)
3
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean (Singapore Strait)
The flight crew consisted of Sgt. W . Roberts (pilot), AC1 E . Beisly & AC1 M . Hunter of No. 100 Sqn RAF, RAF Seletar, Singapore.
April 17, 1938
Taylor Cub
1 (Andrew Carnegie Whitfield)
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near Long Island, United States)
This was a private flight.
July 28, 1938
Hawaii Clipper (Martin M-130, NC14714)
15
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean (East of the Philippine coast)
Main article: Pan Am Flight 229
August 6, 1938
Hawker Hector (K9759)
1
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea off Blackhall Rocks)
Lost: P/O Douglas St Quentin Robinson, No. 13 Sqn RAF, RAF Odiham.
August 8, 1938
Avro Anson (K8831)
4
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea off Bridlington)
Lost: Sgt. Cecil Joseph Le Patrick Gordon (pilot), AC2 Thomas Charles Andrews, AC1 Melville George Brand, AC1 Leslie Freeman, No. 233 Sqn RAF, RAF Thornaby.
October 1, 1938
Pampero (Dornier Do 18, D-AROZ)
5
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (off Bathurst)
Deutsche Lufthansa flight from Natal that was just a few minutes from landing.
October 6, 1938
Handley Page H Harrow (K6971)
3
Weather (storm loss)
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel off Dungeness)
Lost: F/O D . Hamilton, P/O R . Haynes, P/O T . Munro, LAC C . Lodge & AC1 T. Prowse, No. 215 Sqn, RAF Honington, Suffolk.
May 9, 1939
Westland Wallace (K3570)
2
Fouling of tail by towing cable
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Lost: P/O M . Lloyd & AC J. Flannery of No. 1 Air Armament School.
May 16, 1939
Monocoupe 90A (SE-AGM/NX19421)
1
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean
Swedish-American pilot Carl Backman took the registration SE-AGM from a Areonca C-3 in his hometown of Leksand and used on this plane on an attempted flight from the US to Sweden. Planned route was from St. Louis to Rommehed with stops in Bangor and Gander; disappeared on last leg of flight.
August 9, 1939
Vickers Wellington I (L4258)
5
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Lost: F/O T . Darling, P/O F . Board, A/Sgt A. Linkley, AC1 R , Collins & AC1 J . Sadler of No. 149 Sqn RAF.
August 11, 1939
Shalom (Ryan C-2 Foursome)
2
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean
NYC to Palestine flight by Betar activists Alex Loeb and Richard Decker.
August 19, 1939
Supermarine Stranraer
6
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (North Sea)
Lost: Act. Flt. Lt. F . King, F/O A . Barber, LAC D. Fulcher, AC1 D . Ash, AC1 L . Freshwater & AC1 W . Jeckells, No. 209 Sqn RAF, RAF Invergordon, Ross & Cromarty.
· 20th century › 1940–1959
March 1, 1940
March 1, 1940
Date
March 1, 1940
Aircraft
Hannibal (Handley Page H , G-AAGX)
People missing
8
Type of incident
Crash landing
Location (assumed)
Indian Ocean (Gulf of Oman)
Remarks
Four crew and four passengers were lost on this passenger flight. Wreckage washed up on the Iranian coast at Ras al Kuh, 40 km (25 miles) east of Jask.
November 27, 1940
November 27, 1940
Date
November 27, 1940
Aircraft
SNCAC NC (F-AROA)
People missing
7
Type of incident
Shot down (possibly)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea off Teluada, Sardinia)
Remarks
Lost during Marseille-Bizerte-Beirut-Damascus mail flight. Jean Chiappe was a passenger. Possibly strayed into battle zone.
January 15, 1941
January 15, 1941
Date
January 15, 1941
Aircraft
Savoia-Marchetti SM-75C (I-BAYR)
People missing
10
Type of incident
Ditching
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean (off Fernando de Noronha)
Remarks
LATI passenger flight from Natal to Sal. Pilot was forced to ditch after No. 2 (center) engine lost power and all cargo was dumped. No trace of plane found. (Other sources say flight was headed for Dakar.)
July 2, 1941
July 2, 1941
Date
July 2, 1941
Aircraft
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L3467)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Russia (possibly near Lipetsk)
Remarks
Aeroflot plane left Vnukovo on a mission but vanished. The pilot was found alive in a Tashkent hospital with burns and wounds on January 10, 1942, but could not recall what happened to the plane or remaining 3 crew members.
January 10, 1942
January 10, 1942
Date
January 10, 1942
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (Y-58)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Kema, Indonesia
Remarks
The Dutch Navy aircraft disappeared following a raid on the Japanese fleet at Kema. Two other Catalinas flying with Y-58 landed safely.
February 2, 1942
February 2, 1942
Date
February 2, 1942
Aircraft
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L3920)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
possibly Kalinin region, Soviet Union
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft went missing while returning from a flight behind German lines.
March 21, 1942
March 21, 1942
Date
March 21, 1942
Aircraft
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L3975)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
near Medyn, Soviet Union
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft went missing on a flight from Monino to an area behind German lines.
June 5, 1942
June 5, 1942
Date
June 5, 1942
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (05023)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Gulf of Mexico
Remarks
US Navy aircraft disappeared during a navigation flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
June 8, 1942
June 8, 1942
Date
June 8, 1942
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (044604)
People missing
10
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Newfoundland
Remarks
US Navy aircraft went missing on a convoy patrol northeast of Newfoundland.
June 14, 1942
June 14, 1942
Date
June 14, 1942
Aircraft
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L4001)
People missing
Unknown
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Vyazma area, Smolensk region, Soviet Union
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft went missing during a mission in the Vyazma area.
July 14, 1942
July 14, 1942
Date
July 14, 1942
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (04463)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean off Alaska
Remarks
US Navy aircraft went missing on patrol out of NAS Sand Point.
July 14, 1942
July 14, 1942
Date
July 14, 1942
Aircraft
Lockheed C-60 Lodestar (VHCAD)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Australia
Remarks
RAAF aircraft lost without trace between Townsville and Cooktown.
July 25, 1942
July 25, 1942
Date
July 25, 1942
Aircraft
Short Sunderland (L5806)
People missing
13
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Mediterranean Sea off Egyptian coast
Remarks
RAF aircraft of 230 Sqn went missing during an anti-submarine patrol mission over the Mediterranean Sea; likely crashed at sea somewhere off the Egyptian coast.
August 17, 1942
August 17, 1942
Date
August 17, 1942
Aircraft
Short Sunderland (L2158)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Sierra Leone
Remarks
RAF aircraft of 204 Sqn. missing off Sierra Leone while on convoy escort.
August 28, 1942
August 28, 1942
Date
August 28, 1942
Aircraft
Boeing B-17E (41-9146)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Weather
Location (assumed)
off Umnak Island
Remarks
USAAF aircraft failed to return from a bombing raid against Kiska Island with two other aircraft after becoming separated from the formation while flying through a storm. The last radio transmission from the aircraft stated that the aircraft only had one hour of fuel left. The two other B-17s were able to return safely. No wreckage or remains have
December 17, 1942
December 17, 1942
Date
December 17, 1942
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (08135)
People missing
7
Type of incident
Weather (probable)
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean
Remarks
US Navy aircraft went missing during a flight out of NAS Kaneohe. The aircraft became separated from two accompanying aircraft over the Pacific in bad weather. The final radio contact mentioned that the crew was flying at 7000 feet (2135 m) on instruments and descending.
January 3, 1943
January 3, 1943
Date
January 3, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (08097)
People missing
8
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
US Navy aircraft went missing on patrol out of NAS Quonset Point.
January 16, 1943
January 16, 1943
Date
January 16, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (2310)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Brunswick, GA
Remarks
US Navy aircraft went missing off Brunswick, Georgia.
January 18, 1943
January 18, 1943
Date
January 18, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express (41-11708)
People missing
26
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (off Natal)
Remarks
USAAF flight from Accra to Natal. Wide search, called off January 29. A life raft with the body of one passenger was found 96 km east of Recife by the US destroyer Kearney on February 4, and another life raft with the body of major Arthur Mills and 6 life jackets was found on the beach of Ponte Negra the following day.
January 24, 1943
January 24, 1943
Date
January 24, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 (41-38688)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Unknown
Remarks
USAAF aircraft crashed en route from Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico.
January 26, 1943
January 26, 1943
Date
January 26, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-53 (41-20128)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Sookerating, India
Remarks
USAAF aircraft disappeared en route from Yunnanyi to Sookerating. Aircraft and crew remain missing as of August 1944.
January 31, 1943
January 31, 1943
Date
January 31, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas Dakota (MA929)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
northeastern Burma
Remarks
RAF aircraft of 31 Sqn. took off from Dinjan for Fort Hertz, but failed to arrive. A Hudson pilot saw the aircraft at 1400 flying at 7000 feet (2135 m) near Kamku, heading for Fort Hertz.
March 13, 1943
March 13, 1943
Date
March 13, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-53 (49)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Patkai Range, Burma
Remarks
CNAC aircraft went missing over the Himalayas while flying a cargo of 50 kg (110 lb) tin bars to Dinjan.
April 17, 1943
April 17, 1943
Date
April 17, 1943
Aircraft
de Havilland Dragon
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
New South Wales, Australia
Remarks
Dragon DH84A, A34-47 of 34 Squadron RAAF went missing on a flight between Mascot Airfield, in Sydney and Essendon Airfield in Melbourne via Forest Hill on Saturday 17 April 1943. The wreckage of this aircraft has never been found. RAAF and US Marine Corps personnel were presumed killed in this accident.
July 1, 1943
July 1, 1943
Date
July 1, 1943
Aircraft
Curtiss C-46A (41-12298)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Mid-air collision (probable)
Location (assumed)
Between Tezpur and Kunming
Remarks
Disappeared during a Tezpur-Kunming cargo flight. Another C-46A, 41-12295, flew the same route as 41-12298 at the same time. Flying at 17,000 feet on instruments, the weather was so poor that the crew could not see the wingtips. When this C-46 landed, damage was found on the right wing tip and there was a dent on the right top side of the fuselage.
July 8, 1943
July 8, 1943
Date
July 8, 1943
Aircraft
Tachikawa Ki-77
People missing
8
Type of incident
Shot down (probable)
Location (assumed)
Indian Ocean
Remarks
Attempted flight from Singapore to Sarabus (now Hvardiiske, Crimea). The people lost consisted of five IJA passengers and three crew members which included Kenji Tsukagoshi. The flight was likely intercepted by RAF fighters over the Indian Ocean as data is known through decrypted communications.
July 10, 1943
July 10, 1943
Date
July 10, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (42-23596)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Trinidad-Waller Field
Remarks
USAAF aircraft disappeared during a ferry flight.
July 11, 1943
July 11, 1943
Date
July 11, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 (42-5686 and 42-5687)
People missing
Unknown
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Sicily
Remarks
During the Allied invasion of Sicily, 144 C-47s dropped 2200 paratroopers at Gela. The first two formations dropped their paratroopers squarely on target without incident. But when the next formations appeared over the shoreline, Allied forces opened fire on naval vessels and shore troops. The 52nd Troop Carrier Wing lost 23 C-47s to friendly fire
July 13, 1943
July 13, 1943
Date
July 13, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 (41-18518)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Between Mohanbari and Kunming
Remarks
Disappeared between Mohanbari and Kunming. Last radio transmission from the aircraft was at 14:18 IST when the aircraft was near Sookerating. The crew had asked for weather information of Yunnanyi.
August 3, 1943
August 3, 1943
Date
August 3, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated Catalina (FP114)
People missing
13
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
RAF aircraft of 202 Sqn disappeared during a ferry flight from Castle Archdale to Gibraltar.
August 14, 1943
August 14, 1943
Date
August 14, 1943
Aircraft
Curtiss C-46A (41-12403)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Weather (probable)
Location (assumed)
China
Remarks
Disappeared during a flight over The Hump from Chabua to Kunming. The crew's last radio contact stated that they were flying over the mountains and had no mechanical difficulties. Major storms were forecast along the flight route.
August 21, 1943
August 21, 1943
Date
August 21, 1943
Aircraft
Lisunov Li-2 (CCCP-L4034)
People missing
Unknown
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
near Akhtyrka, Ukraine
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared during a flight from Oboyan to an area behind German lines, 20 km (12 mi) east of Mirgorod. Last seen flying over the front line near Akhtyrka.
August 27, 1943
August 27, 1943
Date
August 27, 1943
Aircraft
Lisunov Li-2 (CCCP-L4047)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Shot down (likely)
Location (assumed)
Unknown
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared following an attack by a Luftwaffe fighter. All 6 crew declared MIA and presumed dead.
October 2, 1943
October 2, 1943
Date
October 2, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (05013)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Fuel leak (suspected)
Location (assumed)
Gulf of Mexico
Remarks
US Navy aircraft missing on a flight out of NAS Pensacola.
October 20, 1943
October 20, 1943
Date
October 20, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (42-23965)
People missing
15
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Palmyra Island Atoll
Remarks
USAAF aircraft disappeared en route to Palmyra Island. The aircraft's last known position was 80 km (50 mi) north-northeast of Palmyra Island, flying above overcast.
October 29, 1943
October 29, 1943
Date
October 29, 1943
Aircraft
Emei (Douglas C-47A)
People missing
22
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
between India and China
Remarks
ROC Air Force aircraft disappeared on a Dinjan-Kunming transport flight. Wreckage has never been found as of 2024.
November 6, 1943
November 6, 1943
Date
November 6, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (34035)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean
Remarks
US Navy aircraft disappeared during a ferry flight from NAS San Diego to NAS Kaneohe.
November 13, 1943
November 13, 1943
Date
November 13, 1943
Aircraft
Short Sunderland III (DD863)
People missing
11
Type of incident
Engine failure (probable)
Location (assumed)
off Mayo, Ireland
Remarks
RAF aircraft disappeared during a convoy escort mission. The crew had reported engine problems and stated they were returning to base. Strong sea conditions were reported at the time.
November 23, 1943
November 23, 1943
Date
November 23, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (41-18675)
People missing
25
Type of incident
Weather (suspected)
Location (assumed)
Nakety Bay, New Caledonia
Remarks
USAAF aircraft took off from Tontouta Airport, bound for Espiritu Santo. Radio contact established at 08:10, but aircraft failed to respond an hour later. Damaged gear and personal effects found two days later, but no bodies were ever found. A cold front had passed through the area on the morning of the flight, reducing ceiling and visibility. The
November 24, 1943
November 24, 1943
Date
November 24, 1943
Aircraft
Curtiss C-46A (41-12287)
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
between Sookerating and Kunming
Remarks
Shot down by a Japanese A6M Zero shortly after clearing the ceiling to clear mountains. Copilot G . Black survived an eight-day walk out. Pilot R Wilson and crewman G. Winkleman also survived, but radio operator S. Florian died while exiting the aircraft from wing debris.
December 19, 1943
December 19, 1943
Date
December 19, 1943
Aircraft
Short Sunderland III (DW106)
People missing
19
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean off Portuguese coast
Remarks
RAF aircraft disappeared on a flight from RAF Pembroke to Gibraltar. Reportedly a IFF distress signal was picked up 30 mi off Cape St Vincent by Sunderland EK589 which was following DW106. A thorough search of the area turned up nothing.
December 27, 1943
December 27, 1943
Date
December 27, 1943
Aircraft
Douglas R4D (12432)
People missing
24
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
New Caledonia and Vanuatu
Remarks
US Navy aircraft disappeared over the Pacific Ocean between Noumea and Espiritu Santo.
December 30, 1943
December 30, 1943
Date
December 30, 1943
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (33963)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean
Remarks
US Navy aircraft disappeared during a flight from Baker Island to Makin Island.
January 17, 1944
January 17, 1944
Date
January 17, 1944
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (34018)
People missing
8
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off Adak, Alaska
Remarks
US Navy aircraft disappeared while on patrol out of NAS Adak.
February 3, 1944
February 3, 1944
Date
February 3, 1944
Aircraft
Vought F4U Corsair (22 aircraft lost)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Weather
Location (assumed)
Central Pacific
Remarks
23 USMC F4U Corsair fighter aircraft of the Marine fighter squadron VMF-422 took off at 10:00 at Hawkins Field, bound for Funafuti. 24th Corsair had developed engine problems and returned back to Hawkins Field. At 1230 hrs., still short of Nanumea, the squadron encountered a massive Pacific cyclone measuring nearly 150 miles (240 km) in diameter an
February 13, 1944
February 13, 1944
Date
February 13, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (CCCP-L846)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Unknown
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared while on a flight from Kudrovo (near Leningrad) to an area behind German lines. Last contact was over enemy territory at 22:35.
February 17, 1944
February 17, 1944
Date
February 17, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (CCCP-L847)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
near Tartu, Estonia
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared while on a flight from Kudrovo (near Leningrad) to the area of Tartu to paradrop a reconnaissance team behind German lines.
February 21, 1944
February 21, 1944
Date
February 21, 1944
Aircraft
Joachim Blankenburg (Junkers Ju 52/3m, D-AWAS)
People missing
16
Type of incident
Engine failure (possible)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea within Aegean Sea off of Euboea, Greece)
Remarks
Lost during a Deutsche Lufthansa passenger flight from Thessaloniki to Athens. Issued a pan-pan after having engine issues over the sea but no wreckage was recovered.
February 27, 1944
February 27, 1944
Date
February 27, 1944
Aircraft
Lisunov Li-2 (CCCP-L4076)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
between Nikopol and Krivoi Rog
Remarks
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared while on a flight from Melitopol to an area behind German lines in support of the offensive of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. All on board declared MIA and presumed dead.
March 17, 1944
March 17, 1944
Date
March 17, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas Dakota (FL650)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
off British Columbia
Remarks
RCAF aircraft disappeared on a night navigation exercise. The aircraft took off at 19:40 and last contact was at 21:58. Despite an exhaustive search, neither the aircraft nor its crew were found and the crew were declared missing and presumed dead. Two oxygen cylinders of the type used on Dakotas were later recovered in the Pearse Island Group, nor
April 2, 1944
April 2, 1944
Date
April 2, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (42-92815)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean
Remarks
USAAF aircraft disappeared during a flight from Fairfield, California to Honolulu, Hawaii. The aircraft took off at 02:37 GCT and last contact was at 08:05 GCT. The search for the aircraft was discontinued on April 9.
April 28, 1944
April 28, 1944
Date
April 28, 1944
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (A24-49)
People missing
10
Type of incident
Forced landing (possible)
Location (assumed)
off Babo, Indonesia
Remarks
RAAF aircraft disappeared on a flight from Groote Island to attack Manokwari, but it never made it there and reportedly force-landed about two days walk from Babo. All on board declared MIA.
May 18, 1944
May 18, 1944
Date
May 18, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas R4D (39073)
People missing
23
Type of incident
Weather (probable)
Location (assumed)
between Torokina and Guadalcanal
Remarks
US Navy transport aircraft disappeared on a flight from Torokina to Guadalcanal with 23 on board and 1300 pounds of mail. Last radio contact with the aircraft was during takeoff. Weather at the time was poor with moderate rain showers reducing visibility from six miles to one mile.
May 21, 1944
May 21, 1944
Date
May 21, 1944
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY Catalina (A24-73)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Java Sea
Remarks
RAAF aircraft disappeared during a sea mining mission in the Java Sea near Surabaya. A signal was received that both fuel tanks had been badly holed and an attempt was to be made to get to an escape point. Despite searches, neither the aircraft nor its crew were found.
June 1, 1944
June 1, 1944
Date
June 1, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas Dakota (FZ563)
People missing
7
Type of incident
Weather (probable)
Location (assumed)
near Myitkyina, Burma
Remarks
RAF aircraft of 215 Sqn, India was one of 18 which left Sylhet in formation at 06:00 to drop supplies in Burma. In company with five other aircraft, FZ563 was to drop at position 25°06′N 96°16′E / 25 °N 96 °E / 25 ; 96 . Last seen near Myitkyina dropping supplies on the target at 08:45. At the time it was raining with extremely bad weath
June 7, 1944
June 7, 1944
Date
June 7, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas Dakota (KG480)
People missing
Unknown
Type of incident
Shot down (probable)
Location (assumed)
near Ranville, France
Remarks
RAF aircraft went missing from a supply drop mission during the Normandy invasion. Probably shot down by naval anti-aircraft fire.
July 26, 1944
July 26, 1944
Date
July 26, 1944
Aircraft
Douglas C-54A Skymaster (42-107470)
People missing
26
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (SE of Greenland)
Remarks
Military transport carrying wounded personnel. Lost passengers included Leon Vance.
August 23, 1944
August 23, 1944
Date
August 23, 1944
Aircraft
Beechcraft AT-10 (2144BU)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
Unknown
Remarks
Army and Air Force searched for missing plane by air and ground for days but no trace of the plane, pilot, or navigator were ever found. Those lost were Oma Gordon Capps & an unknown navigator.
October 26, 1944
October 26, 1944
Date
October 26, 1944
Aircraft
P-51 Mustang
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (Santa Monica Bay)
Remarks
On October 26, 1944 Gertrude Tompkins Silver departed from Mines Field (Los Angeles International Airport) for Palm Springs flying a North American P-51D Mustang destined for New Jersey, but she never arrived at Palm Spring. Silver is the only known Women Airforce Service Pilots member to go missing during World War II.
December 15, 1944
December 15, 1944
Date
December 15, 1944
Aircraft
UC-64 Norseman (44-70285)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (English Channel)
Remarks
No trace of the aircrew, passengers or plane found, possibly overflew bomb jettisoning area. Lost: Glenn Miller, F/O John Morgan & Lt. Col. Norman F. Baessell.
January 22, 1945
January 22, 1945
Date
January 22, 1945
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A-80-DL (43-15384)
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
China (80 kilometers (50 miles) from Lüliang)
Remarks
C-47 transport headed from Chihchiang to Ganzhou. Turned back after encountering poor weather but was told to dump their load and go to Chanyi. A freighter pilot saw the crew bail out but the wreckage could not be located. 3 of the 4 occupants returned on the 29th but the fourth was never seen again.
February 26, 1945
February 26, 1945
Date
February 26, 1945
Aircraft
C-87A Liberator Express (41-24174, c/n 969)
People missing
3+
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Central Pacific Ocean
Remarks
Military transport flight piloted by F. E. Savage disappeared for unknown reasons. There were known safety issues with the aircraft type that might have played a factor. The exact number of passengers lost is unknown, but at least three were identified to have been on the flight. Two of the passengers were Millard Harmon and James Roy Andersen.
March 27, 1945
March 27, 1945
Date
March 27, 1945
Aircraft
Commando (Liberator B Mk II (LB-30), AL504)
People missing
7+
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near Azores)
Remarks
At least seven passengers including Sir Peter Drummond were lost when this military transport flight went missing.
May 30, 1945
May 30, 1945
Date
May 30, 1945
Aircraft
Douglas C-47B (44-76406)
People missing
21
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Atlantic Ocean (off of the Ivory Coast)
Remarks
18 Women's Army Corps soldiers and three crew members were aboard when the transport went missing en route to Accra after leaving Roberts Field (now Roberts International Airport) in Liberia.
June 15, 1945
June 15, 1945
Date
June 15, 1945
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (81)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Within China
Remarks
Disappeared on a CNAC cargo flight between Yunnanyi and Xuzhou (also romanized as Suifu, now known as Yibin).
October 7, 1945
October 7, 1945
Date
October 7, 1945
Aircraft
Avro Lancaster (PA278)
People missing
25
Type of incident
Mid-air explosion (probable)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea near Corsica)
Remarks
Main article: Avro Lancaster PA278 disappearance A second Lancaster flying with PA278 saw an explosion at 04:40 GMT. Both were transporting military personnel.
October 20, 1945
October 20, 1945
Date
October 20, 1945
Aircraft
Douglas C-47B (A65-83)
People missing
25
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Indian/Pacific Ocean (Timor Sea)
Remarks
Main article: 1945 RAAF Douglas C-47 disappearance Flight was transporting wounded military personnel.
October 23, 1945
October 23, 1945
Date
October 23, 1945
Aircraft
Douglas Dakota (KJ957)
People missing
14
Type of incident
In-flight breakup (presumed)
Location (assumed)
east of Chiringa, Bangladesh
Remarks
RAF aircraft disappeared after flying into a thunderstorm at 14,000 feet. Presumed to have broken up in mid-air.
December 5, 1945
December 5, 1945
Date
December 5, 1945
Aircraft
TBM Avenger (5 planes)
People missing
14
Type of incident
Fuel starvation (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (off east coast of Florida)
Remarks
Main article: Flight 19 Five TBM Avengers carrying 14 people went missing as the result of a presumed navigational error. This was widely covered in the news at the time, and helped to contribute to the Bermuda Triangle myth.
December 5, 1945
December 5, 1945
Date
December 5, 1945
Aircraft
Martin PBM-5 Mariner (BuNo 59225)
People missing
13
Type of incident
Mid-air explosion (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (off east coast of Florida)
Remarks
This was a search and rescue mission that was looking for the missing TBM Avengers (see above).
February 10, 1946
February 10, 1946
Date
February 10, 1946
Aircraft
Röd Niklas (Saab 18, 18180)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
Sweden (Jämtland)
Remarks
Military ferry-flight from Halmstad to Kalixfors outside Kiruna which included pilot Håkan Gunnar Hoffberg, aerial scout Karl Einar Carlsson, and signalist Alf Stig Einar Andersson. It is thought the plane may be in a bog in the Swedish province of Jämtland.
March 23, 1946
March 23, 1946
Date
March 23, 1946
Aircraft
Avro Lancastrian (G-AGLX)
People missing
10
Type of incident
Weather (suspected)
Location (assumed)
Indian Ocean
Remarks
Qantas passenger flight with five crew and five passengers missing en route from Negombo to the Cocos, one leg of a flight from the UK to Australia.
May 17, 1946
May 17, 1946
Date
May 17, 1946
Aircraft
Douglas C-47B (43-48308)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
India
Remarks
USAAF aircraft disappeared on a flight from Rangoon to Calcutta, carrying the remains of POWs. At 06:10 the pilot radioed Barrackpore that he had passed Akyab at 05:30, and expected to arrive at Barrackpore at 08:00. Five minutes later, the pilot radioed for weather, which had to be sent twice due to heavy atmospheric interference. At 07:05, the pi
May 25, 1946
May 25, 1946
Date
May 25, 1946
Aircraft
Douglas C-54G (45-489)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean (off Guam)
Remarks
Disappeared between Kwajalein and Guam. A Boeing B-17G (44-83783) sent to search for the C-54 also disappeared.
June 29, 1946
June 29, 1946
Date
June 29, 1946
Aircraft
Douglas Dakota IV (KJ918)
People missing
18
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
Malaysia (within Cameron Highlands)
Remarks
RAF transport from Singapore to Calcutta via Butterworth and Yangon. Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported that he was over the northeastern coast of Thailand, but then decided to return to Butterworth due to bad weather. The pilot radioed 33 minutes later that he was in a "terrible storm" somewhere over the Cameron Highlands.
August 6, 1947
August 6, 1947
Date
August 6, 1947
Aircraft
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (34032)
People missing
20
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Within Alaska
Remarks
Disappeared while carrying an Army-Navy football team from Kodiak to Dutch Harbor.
January 30, 1948
January 30, 1948
Date
January 30, 1948
Aircraft
Star Tiger (Avro Tudor Mark IV, G-AHNP)
People missing
31
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Main article: BSAA Star Tiger disappearance  • Notable missing passengers included Arthur Coningham.
May 5, 1948
May 5, 1948
Date
May 5, 1948
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A (NC17645)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Superior Oil Corp. transport flight from Gander to Shannon.
August 1, 1948
August 1, 1948
Date
August 1, 1948
Aircraft
Lionel de Marnier (Latécoère 631, F-BDRC)
People missing
52
Type of incident
In-flight fire (probable)
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean
Remarks
Main article: Air France Flight 072
Date
Aircraft
People missing
Type of incident
Location (assumed)
Remarks
March 1, 1940
Hannibal (Handley Page H , G-AAGX)
8
Crash landing
Indian Ocean (Gulf of Oman)
Four crew and four passengers were lost on this passenger flight. Wreckage washed up on the Iranian coast at Ras al Kuh, 40 km (25 miles) east of Jask.
November 27, 1940
SNCAC NC (F-AROA)
7
Shot down (possibly)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea off Teluada, Sardinia)
Lost during Marseille-Bizerte-Beirut-Damascus mail flight. Jean Chiappe was a passenger. Possibly strayed into battle zone.
January 15, 1941
Savoia-Marchetti SM-75C (I-BAYR)
10
Ditching
Atlantic Ocean (off Fernando de Noronha)
LATI passenger flight from Natal to Sal. Pilot was forced to ditch after No. 2 (center) engine lost power and all cargo was dumped. No trace of plane found. (Other sources say flight was headed for Dakar.)
July 2, 1941
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L3467)
3
Unknown
Russia (possibly near Lipetsk)
Aeroflot plane left Vnukovo on a mission but vanished. The pilot was found alive in a Tashkent hospital with burns and wounds on January 10, 1942, but could not recall what happened to the plane or remaining 3 crew members.
January 10, 1942
Consolidated PBY Catalina (Y-58)
6
Unknown
off Kema, Indonesia
The Dutch Navy aircraft disappeared following a raid on the Japanese fleet at Kema. Two other Catalinas flying with Y-58 landed safely.
February 2, 1942
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L3920)
6
Unknown
possibly Kalinin region, Soviet Union
Aeroflot aircraft went missing while returning from a flight behind German lines.
March 21, 1942
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L3975)
6
Unknown
near Medyn, Soviet Union
Aeroflot aircraft went missing on a flight from Monino to an area behind German lines.
June 5, 1942
Consolidated PBY Catalina (05023)
9
Unknown
Gulf of Mexico
US Navy aircraft disappeared during a navigation flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
June 8, 1942
Consolidated PBY Catalina (044604)
10
Unknown
off Newfoundland
US Navy aircraft went missing on a convoy patrol northeast of Newfoundland.
June 14, 1942
Lisunov PS-84 (CCCP-L4001)
Unknown
Unknown
Vyazma area, Smolensk region, Soviet Union
Aeroflot aircraft went missing during a mission in the Vyazma area.
July 14, 1942
Consolidated PBY Catalina (04463)
9
Unknown
Pacific Ocean off Alaska
US Navy aircraft went missing on patrol out of NAS Sand Point.
July 14, 1942
Lockheed C-60 Lodestar (VHCAD)
3
Unknown
Australia
RAAF aircraft lost without trace between Townsville and Cooktown.
July 25, 1942
Short Sunderland (L5806)
13
Unknown
Mediterranean Sea off Egyptian coast
RAF aircraft of 230 Sqn went missing during an anti-submarine patrol mission over the Mediterranean Sea; likely crashed at sea somewhere off the Egyptian coast.
August 17, 1942
Short Sunderland (L2158)
9
Unknown
off Sierra Leone
RAF aircraft of 204 Sqn. missing off Sierra Leone while on convoy escort.
August 28, 1942
Boeing B-17E (41-9146)
9
Weather
off Umnak Island
USAAF aircraft failed to return from a bombing raid against Kiska Island with two other aircraft after becoming separated from the formation while flying through a storm. The last radio transmission from the aircraft stated that the aircraft only had one hour of fuel left. The two other B-17s were able to return safely. No wreckage or remains have
December 17, 1942
Consolidated PBY Catalina (08135)
7
Weather (probable)
Pacific Ocean
US Navy aircraft went missing during a flight out of NAS Kaneohe. The aircraft became separated from two accompanying aircraft over the Pacific in bad weather. The final radio contact mentioned that the crew was flying at 7000 feet (2135 m) on instruments and descending.
January 3, 1943
Consolidated PBY Catalina (08097)
8
Unknown
Atlantic Ocean
US Navy aircraft went missing on patrol out of NAS Quonset Point.
January 16, 1943
Consolidated PBY Catalina (2310)
5
Unknown
off Brunswick, GA
US Navy aircraft went missing off Brunswick, Georgia.
January 18, 1943
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express (41-11708)
26
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (off Natal)
USAAF flight from Accra to Natal. Wide search, called off January 29. A life raft with the body of one passenger was found 96 km east of Recife by the US destroyer Kearney on February 4, and another life raft with the body of major Arthur Mills and 6 life jackets was found on the beach of Ponte Negra the following day.
January 24, 1943
Douglas C-47 (41-38688)
9
Unknown
Unknown
USAAF aircraft crashed en route from Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico.
January 26, 1943
Douglas C-53 (41-20128)
9
Unknown
Sookerating, India
USAAF aircraft disappeared en route from Yunnanyi to Sookerating. Aircraft and crew remain missing as of August 1944.
January 31, 1943
Douglas Dakota (MA929)
6
Unknown
northeastern Burma
RAF aircraft of 31 Sqn. took off from Dinjan for Fort Hertz, but failed to arrive. A Hudson pilot saw the aircraft at 1400 flying at 7000 feet (2135 m) near Kamku, heading for Fort Hertz.
March 13, 1943
Douglas C-53 (49)
3
Unknown
Patkai Range, Burma
CNAC aircraft went missing over the Himalayas while flying a cargo of 50 kg (110 lb) tin bars to Dinjan.
April 17, 1943
de Havilland Dragon
5
Unknown
New South Wales, Australia
Dragon DH84A, A34-47 of 34 Squadron RAAF went missing on a flight between Mascot Airfield, in Sydney and Essendon Airfield in Melbourne via Forest Hill on Saturday 17 April 1943. The wreckage of this aircraft has never been found. RAAF and US Marine Corps personnel were presumed killed in this accident.
July 1, 1943
Curtiss C-46A (41-12298)
5
Mid-air collision (probable)
Between Tezpur and Kunming
Disappeared during a Tezpur-Kunming cargo flight. Another C-46A, 41-12295, flew the same route as 41-12298 at the same time. Flying at 17,000 feet on instruments, the weather was so poor that the crew could not see the wingtips. When this C-46 landed, damage was found on the right wing tip and there was a dent on the right top side of the fuselage.
July 8, 1943
Tachikawa Ki-77
8
Shot down (probable)
Indian Ocean
Attempted flight from Singapore to Sarabus (now Hvardiiske, Crimea). The people lost consisted of five IJA passengers and three crew members which included Kenji Tsukagoshi. The flight was likely intercepted by RAF fighters over the Indian Ocean as data is known through decrypted communications.
July 10, 1943
Douglas C-47A (42-23596)
5
Unknown
off Trinidad-Waller Field
USAAF aircraft disappeared during a ferry flight.
July 11, 1943
Douglas C-47 (42-5686 and 42-5687)
Unknown
Unknown
off Sicily
During the Allied invasion of Sicily, 144 C-47s dropped 2200 paratroopers at Gela. The first two formations dropped their paratroopers squarely on target without incident. But when the next formations appeared over the shoreline, Allied forces opened fire on naval vessels and shore troops. The 52nd Troop Carrier Wing lost 23 C-47s to friendly fire
July 13, 1943
Douglas C-47 (41-18518)
4
Unknown
Between Mohanbari and Kunming
Disappeared between Mohanbari and Kunming. Last radio transmission from the aircraft was at 14:18 IST when the aircraft was near Sookerating. The crew had asked for weather information of Yunnanyi.
August 3, 1943
Consolidated Catalina (FP114)
13
Unknown
Atlantic Ocean
RAF aircraft of 202 Sqn disappeared during a ferry flight from Castle Archdale to Gibraltar.
August 14, 1943
Curtiss C-46A (41-12403)
4
Weather (probable)
China
Disappeared during a flight over The Hump from Chabua to Kunming. The crew's last radio contact stated that they were flying over the mountains and had no mechanical difficulties. Major storms were forecast along the flight route.
August 21, 1943
Lisunov Li-2 (CCCP-L4034)
Unknown
Unknown
near Akhtyrka, Ukraine
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared during a flight from Oboyan to an area behind German lines, 20 km (12 mi) east of Mirgorod. Last seen flying over the front line near Akhtyrka.
August 27, 1943
Lisunov Li-2 (CCCP-L4047)
6
Shot down (likely)
Unknown
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared following an attack by a Luftwaffe fighter. All 6 crew declared MIA and presumed dead.
October 2, 1943
Consolidated PBY Catalina (05013)
9
Fuel leak (suspected)
Gulf of Mexico
US Navy aircraft missing on a flight out of NAS Pensacola.
October 20, 1943
Douglas C-47A (42-23965)
15
Unknown
off Palmyra Island Atoll
USAAF aircraft disappeared en route to Palmyra Island. The aircraft's last known position was 80 km (50 mi) north-northeast of Palmyra Island, flying above overcast.
October 29, 1943
Emei (Douglas C-47A)
22
Unknown
between India and China
ROC Air Force aircraft disappeared on a Dinjan-Kunming transport flight. Wreckage has never been found as of 2024.
November 6, 1943
Consolidated PBY Catalina (34035)
9
Unknown
Pacific Ocean
US Navy aircraft disappeared during a ferry flight from NAS San Diego to NAS Kaneohe.
November 13, 1943
Short Sunderland III (DD863)
11
Engine failure (probable)
off Mayo, Ireland
RAF aircraft disappeared during a convoy escort mission. The crew had reported engine problems and stated they were returning to base. Strong sea conditions were reported at the time.
November 23, 1943
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (41-18675)
25
Weather (suspected)
Nakety Bay, New Caledonia
USAAF aircraft took off from Tontouta Airport, bound for Espiritu Santo. Radio contact established at 08:10, but aircraft failed to respond an hour later. Damaged gear and personal effects found two days later, but no bodies were ever found. A cold front had passed through the area on the morning of the flight, reducing ceiling and visibility. The
November 24, 1943
Curtiss C-46A (41-12287)
1
Unknown
between Sookerating and Kunming
Shot down by a Japanese A6M Zero shortly after clearing the ceiling to clear mountains. Copilot G . Black survived an eight-day walk out. Pilot R Wilson and crewman G. Winkleman also survived, but radio operator S. Florian died while exiting the aircraft from wing debris.
December 19, 1943
Short Sunderland III (DW106)
19
Unknown
Atlantic Ocean off Portuguese coast
RAF aircraft disappeared on a flight from RAF Pembroke to Gibraltar. Reportedly a IFF distress signal was picked up 30 mi off Cape St Vincent by Sunderland EK589 which was following DW106. A thorough search of the area turned up nothing.
December 27, 1943
Douglas R4D (12432)
24
Unknown
New Caledonia and Vanuatu
US Navy aircraft disappeared over the Pacific Ocean between Noumea and Espiritu Santo.
December 30, 1943
Consolidated PBY Catalina (33963)
6
Unknown
Pacific Ocean
US Navy aircraft disappeared during a flight from Baker Island to Makin Island.
January 17, 1944
Consolidated PBY Catalina (34018)
8
Unknown
off Adak, Alaska
US Navy aircraft disappeared while on patrol out of NAS Adak.
February 3, 1944
Vought F4U Corsair (22 aircraft lost)
6
Weather
Central Pacific
23 USMC F4U Corsair fighter aircraft of the Marine fighter squadron VMF-422 took off at 10:00 at Hawkins Field, bound for Funafuti. 24th Corsair had developed engine problems and returned back to Hawkins Field. At 1230 hrs., still short of Nanumea, the squadron encountered a massive Pacific cyclone measuring nearly 150 miles (240 km) in diameter an
February 13, 1944
Douglas C-47A (CCCP-L846)
5
Unknown
Unknown
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared while on a flight from Kudrovo (near Leningrad) to an area behind German lines. Last contact was over enemy territory at 22:35.
February 17, 1944
Douglas C-47A (CCCP-L847)
6
Unknown
near Tartu, Estonia
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared while on a flight from Kudrovo (near Leningrad) to the area of Tartu to paradrop a reconnaissance team behind German lines.
February 21, 1944
Joachim Blankenburg (Junkers Ju 52/3m, D-AWAS)
16
Engine failure (possible)
North Atlantic Ocean (Mediterranean Sea within Aegean Sea off of Euboea, Greece)
Lost during a Deutsche Lufthansa passenger flight from Thessaloniki to Athens. Issued a pan-pan after having engine issues over the sea but no wreckage was recovered.
February 27, 1944
Lisunov Li-2 (CCCP-L4076)
6
Unknown
between Nikopol and Krivoi Rog
Aeroflot aircraft disappeared while on a flight from Melitopol to an area behind German lines in support of the offensive of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. All on board declared MIA and presumed dead.
· 20th century › 1960–1979
July 10, 1960
July 10, 1960
Date
July 10, 1960
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 (VT-DGS)
People missing
16
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Indian Ocean (Persian Gulf, near Sharjah, UAE)
Remarks
This Gulf Aviation flight from Doha made up of 3 crew, and 13 passengers either crashed at sea or overflew its destination (Sharjah) causing CFIT.
February 3, 1961
February 3, 1961
Date
February 3, 1961
Aircraft
Douglas C-47A
People missing
26
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Central Pacific Ocean (near Madura Island, Indonesia)
Remarks
Main article: Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 542 5 crew and 21 passengers were reported missing.
February 18, 1961
February 18, 1961
Date
February 18, 1961
Aircraft
North American FJ-4 Fury
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (near the Philippines)
Remarks
1 crew was reported missing “sortied” from USS Lexington (CV-16).
March 8, 1961
March 8, 1961
Date
March 8, 1961
Aircraft
Piaggio P (VH-PAU)
People missing
1
Type of incident
Weather
Location (assumed)
Papua New Guinea (Owen Stanley Range)
Remarks
Papuan Air Transport (Patair) flight from Popondetta to Port Moresby piloted by Geoffrey Neil Wallace, 25. Last contact 10 minutes from arrival over Kokoda with a report of bad weather. A 17-day search with up to 30 aircraft found nothing; anecdotal reports of wreckage discovery in October 1970 unconfirmed.
November 11, 1961
November 11, 1961
Date
November 11, 1961
Aircraft
Lockheed L-749A Constellation (HH-ABA)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea E of Puerto Rico)
Remarks
This was a cargo flight, operated by Air Haiti International from San Juan to Managua.
February 12, 1962
February 12, 1962
Date
February 12, 1962
Aircraft
De Havilland Dragonfly ZK-AFB
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
New Zealand (Milford Sound)
Remarks
The first of five aircraft to have disappeared in the area.
March 16, 1962
March 16, 1962
Date
March 16, 1962
Aircraft
Lockheed L-1049H Constellation
People missing
107
Type of incident
Mid-air explosion (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (near Guam)
Remarks
Main article: Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 Military transport.
January 2, 1964
January 2, 1964
Date
January 2, 1964
Aircraft
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II (52-0968)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean
Remarks
One passenger was lost in this military transport flight.
March 28, 1964
March 28, 1964
Date
March 28, 1964
Aircraft
Douglas C-54A Skymaster (N4726V)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Engine fire (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean
Remarks
The aircraft involved had previously been used in the movie The High and the Mighty (1954).
August 12, 1964
August 12, 1964
Date
August 12, 1964
Aircraft
Cessna 210A (N9492X)
People missing
1 (Charles Clifford Ogle)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
United States (Sierra Nevada, California)
Remarks
Private flight.
October 18, 1965
October 18, 1965
Date
October 18, 1965
Aircraft
Boeing 307B-1 Stratoliner (F-BELV)
People missing
13
Type of incident
Shot down (presumed)
Location (assumed)
North Pacific Ocean (near Hanoi)
Remarks
On board were four crew members, and nine international delegation members of the ICSC. A study done in 1996 concluded that the aircraft was most likely shot down by a North Vietnamese military unit.
June 5, 1965
June 5, 1965
Date
June 5, 1965
Aircraft
Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (51-2680)
People missing
9
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic Ocean (near the Bahamas)
Remarks
Four of those lost were mechanics being transported to Grand Turk Island to repair a C-119. Debris from the aircraft was found on 19 July on the beach of Gold Rock Cay just off the shore of Acklins Island.
November 3, 1965
November 3, 1965
Date
November 3, 1965
Aircraft
Douglas C-54
People missing
68
Type of incident
Engine fire
Location (assumed)
Costa Rica (Cordillera de Talamanca)
Remarks
Main article: 1965 Argentine Air Force C-54 disappearance 25 lifebuoys, personal belongings and some wreckage were found in Bocas del Toro Archipelago, but the airplane or bodies were never recovered.
July 11, 1966
July 11, 1966
Date
July 11, 1966
Aircraft
Curtiss C-46D Commando (HK-527)
People missing
8
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Near Cerro el Planchon, Chile en route from Bogota, Colombia to Buenos Aires, Argentina
Remarks
This was a cargo flight. Wreckage was found on 18 November 1966 some 200 km (120 mi) south of Santiago.
July 23, 1966
July 23, 1966
Date
July 23, 1966
Aircraft
Douglas DC-3 (HS-OOO)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean 840 km off the US coast
Remarks
Missing on a delivery flight to the Thai Government. The crew radioed a passing airliner that an engine had failed and that they were returning to San Francisco.
March 5, 1967
March 5, 1967
Date
March 5, 1967
Aircraft
Grumman HU-16E Albatross (1240)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Gulf of Mexico (off of Florida)
Remarks
Rescue flight responding to a fishing boat distress signal near the Carrabelle sea buoy.
October 16, 1967
October 16, 1967
Date
October 16, 1967
Aircraft
Cessna 150
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Near Holmö, off the cost of Sweden, en route from Vaasa,Finland to Umeå, Sweden
June 5, 1968
June 5, 1968
Date
June 5, 1968
Aircraft
Lockheed A-12 (A-12 Aircraft No. 129)
People missing
1
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Philippine Sea, on a flight from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa
Remarks
This was an engine replacement check flight. Lost: CIA pilot Jack W. Weeks. Scheduled as last operational A-12 flight from Kadena.
March 9, 1969
March 9, 1969
Date
March 9, 1969
Aircraft
Douglas DC-4 (N3821)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
N Atlantic en route from Halifax International Airport to Santa Maria Airport (Azores)
Remarks
This was a cargo flight.
June 5, 1969
June 5, 1969
Date
June 5, 1969
Aircraft
Rivet Amber (Boeing RC-135)
People missing
19
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Bering Sea en route from Shemya AFB, AK to Eielson AFB, AK, ca 400 km E of Shemya
Remarks
Flight to maintenance facility.
September 21, 1970
September 21, 1970
Date
September 21, 1970
Aircraft
Free Life (Rozière balloon, N2079)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
N Atlantic approx 1000 km SE of Newfoundland
Remarks
Attempted transatlantic flight (first by balloon).
January 3, 1971
January 3, 1971
Date
January 3, 1971
Aircraft
Cessna 172 (N8342L)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Weather (presumed)
Location (assumed)
Lake Michigan (presumed) en route to Holland, Michigan
Remarks
A snowstorm hit the day of the flight, pilot reported four hours of fuel left. No sign of the plane or occupants has ever been found.
June 13, 1971
June 13, 1971
Date
June 13, 1971
Aircraft
Boeing EC-135N (61-0331)
People missing
24
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean, 113 km S of Hawaii, near Palmyra Atoll en route from Pago Pago to Hickam Air Force Base
Remarks
Military observation flight returning from French nuclear test Encelade.
February 11, 1972
February 11, 1972
Date
February 11, 1972
Aircraft
Douglas C-54A-DO (XW-TDE)
People missing
23
Type of incident
Shot down
Location (assumed)
Laos (between Savannakhet and Vientiane)
Remarks
Royal Air Lao passenger flight. Last radio contact at 13:20.
May 26, 1972
May 26, 1972
Date
May 26, 1972
Aircraft
Lockheed P-3A Orion (152155)
People missing
8
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean off California, on a routine training mission based at Moffett Federal Airfield
Remarks
Military training flight.
July 20, 1972
July 20, 1972
Date
July 20, 1972
Aircraft
Canadair CC-106 Yukon (LV-JYR)
People missing
5
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
En route from Carrasco International Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay to Santiago, Chile
Remarks
Cargo flight
October 16, 1972
October 16, 1972
Date
October 16, 1972
Aircraft
Cessna 310C (N1812H)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Alaska en route from Anchorage to Juneau
Remarks
Among the passengers on this flight were Nick Begich and Hale Boggs; both were serving U . Representatives.
January 10, 1974
January 10, 1974
Date
January 10, 1974
Aircraft
Douglas DC-4 (TAM-52)
People missing
24
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Central Bolivia en route from Santa Rosa de Yacuma Airport (SRB/SLSR) (14°3′58″S 66°47′12″W / 14 °S 66 °W / -14 ; -66 ) to El Alto International Airport, La Paz
Remarks
Operated by Transporte Aéreo Militar.
February 16, 1974
February 16, 1974
Date
February 16, 1974
Aircraft
Beech 95/B55 Baron (VH-FWR)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Queensland en route from Gladstone to Longreach
February 21, 1974
February 21, 1974
Date
February 21, 1974
Aircraft
Light Heart (superpressure balloon)
People missing
1 (Thomas Leigh Gatch, Jr.)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
1610km W of the Canaries en route from Harrisburg Airport, PA to W Europe
Remarks
Attempted transatlantic flight (first by balloon). The last radio contact with Gatch saying that he was 1,490 km NE of San Juan, PR on February 19 is disputed.
June 24, 1974
June 24, 1974
Date
June 24, 1974
Aircraft
Beechcraft Bonanza V35A (OH-BBD)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
in the vicinity of Bodø, Norway
Remarks
The flight took off from Ivalo,Finland heading to Bodø, Norway plane was carrying a Sami delegation for a visit to Norway. Main article: Bodø 1974 airplane crash
October 12, 1974
October 12, 1974
Date
October 12, 1974
Aircraft
Swan 38 (Lockheed WC-130, 65–0965)
People missing
6
Type of incident
Weather
Location (assumed)
South China Sea
Remarks
Weather reconnaissance aircraft lost during Typhoon Bess (1974).
September 30, 1975
September 30, 1975
Date
September 30, 1975
Aircraft
Tupolev Tu-154 (HA-LCI)
People missing
60
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Mediterranean Sea, close to Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport
Remarks
Main article: Malév Flight 240
December 24, 1975
December 24, 1975
Date
December 24, 1975
Aircraft
Cessna F150H
People missing
0 (pilot's body recovered)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
North Atlantic, near the Isle of Mull, Scotland
Remarks
Main article: Great Mull Air Mystery
September 24, 1976
September 24, 1976
Date
September 24, 1976
Aircraft
Curtiss C-46D Commando (HK-1282)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Caribbean Sea off Aruba en route to Queen Beatrix International Airport
Remarks
This was a cargo flight that might have been lost on September 16 rather than the 24th.
November 5, 1976
November 5, 1976
Date
November 5, 1976
Aircraft
Douglas DC-3 (HP-671)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Caribbean Sea en route from Willemstad, Curaçao to Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Remarks
Cargo flight.
June 30, 1977
June 30, 1977
Date
June 30, 1977
Aircraft
Lockheed L-188CF Electra (N126US)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Caribbean Sea 65 km off Bocas del Toro, Panama en route from San José, Costa Rica to Caracas, Venezuela
Remarks
One passenger, and three crew members were lost on this cargo flight.
August 16, 1978
August 16, 1978
Date
August 16, 1978
Aircraft
Cessna 180 ZK-BMP
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Lake McKerrow, New Zealand
September 21, 1978
September 21, 1978
Date
September 21, 1978
Aircraft
Douglas DC-3 (N407D)
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
N Atlantic off Ft Lauderdale, FL en route from Ft Lauderdale to Havana, Cuba
Remarks
Aircraft flying to pick up passengers in Havana.
October 21, 1978
October 21, 1978
Date
October 21, 1978
Aircraft
Cessna 182L (VH-DSJ)
People missing
1 (Frederick Valentich)
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Bass Strait, vicinity of Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia (as reported by pilot)
Remarks
No radar confirmation of the pilot-reported position. Theories of the disappearance range from the pilot being deceived by the illusion of a tilted horizon, to a UFO encounter as shown on Unsolved Mysteries.
October 22, 1978
October 22, 1978
Date
October 22, 1978
Aircraft
Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander (H4-AAC)
People missing
11
Type of incident
Fuel starvation
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean near Bellona, Solomon Islands
Remarks
Lost during a Solomon Airlines flight from Bellona to Honiara when the pilot turned back due to weather and became disoriented. Plane ditched while still in radio contact but not recovered.
December 8, 1978
December 8, 1978
Date
December 8, 1978
Aircraft
Douglas DC-6A/B (HK-1707X)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Over the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Colombia on a cargo flight from Bogota to Trinidad, Casanare
Remarks
Cargo flight.
December 23, 1978
December 23, 1978
Date
December 23, 1978
Aircraft
Cessna 185
People missing
4
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Between Red Deer airport and Kamloops, B .
Remarks
Two passengers survived the crash for at least two days, communicating via radio. Searchers were unable to find the plane and communication stopped.
December 29, 1978
December 29, 1978
Date
December 29, 1978
Aircraft
Piper Cherokee Six ZK-EBU
People missing
7
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Milford Sound, New Zealand
January 30, 1979
January 30, 1979
Date
January 30, 1979
Aircraft
Boeing 707-323C
People missing
6
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean 200 km ENE of Tokyo
Remarks
Main article: Varig Flight 967 Cargo flight which carried 53 of Manabu Mabe's paintings which were lost.
July 7, 1979
July 7, 1979
Date
July 7, 1979
Aircraft
Socata Rallye 235GT (N302RA)
People missing
3
Type of incident
Unknown
Location (assumed)
Vicinity of Woody Island (Alaska) en route from Anchorage to Kodiak
Remarks
Among the missing is Ian Mackintosh.
July 20, 1979
July 20, 1979
Date
July 20, 1979
Aircraft
Douglas C-47B-50-DK (N63250)
People missing
2
Type of incident
Ditching
Location (assumed)
Pacific Ocean, near Honolulu
Remarks
Trans National Airlines ferry flight that became lost and was forced to ditch due to LORAN failure.
Date
Aircraft
People missing
Type of incident
Location (assumed)
Remarks
July 10, 1960
Douglas C-47 (VT-DGS)
16
Unknown
Indian Ocean (Persian Gulf, near Sharjah, UAE)
This Gulf Aviation flight from Doha made up of 3 crew, and 13 passengers either crashed at sea or overflew its destination (Sharjah) causing CFIT.
February 3, 1961
Douglas C-47A
26
Unknown
Central Pacific Ocean (near Madura Island, Indonesia)
Main article: Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 542 5 crew and 21 passengers were reported missing.
February 18, 1961
North American FJ-4 Fury
1
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean (near the Philippines)
1 crew was reported missing “sortied” from USS Lexington (CV-16).
March 8, 1961
Piaggio P (VH-PAU)
1
Weather
Papua New Guinea (Owen Stanley Range)
Papuan Air Transport (Patair) flight from Popondetta to Port Moresby piloted by Geoffrey Neil Wallace, 25. Last contact 10 minutes from arrival over Kokoda with a report of bad weather. A 17-day search with up to 30 aircraft found nothing; anecdotal reports of wreckage discovery in October 1970 unconfirmed.
November 11, 1961
Lockheed L-749A Constellation (HH-ABA)
3
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea E of Puerto Rico)
This was a cargo flight, operated by Air Haiti International from San Juan to Managua.
February 12, 1962
De Havilland Dragonfly ZK-AFB
5
Unknown
New Zealand (Milford Sound)
The first of five aircraft to have disappeared in the area.
March 16, 1962
Lockheed L-1049H Constellation
107
Mid-air explosion (presumed)
North Pacific Ocean (near Guam)
Main article: Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 Military transport.
January 2, 1964
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II (52-0968)
9
Unknown
North Pacific Ocean
One passenger was lost in this military transport flight.
March 28, 1964
Douglas C-54A Skymaster (N4726V)
9
Engine fire (presumed)
North Pacific Ocean
The aircraft involved had previously been used in the movie The High and the Mighty (1954).
August 12, 1964
Cessna 210A (N9492X)
1 (Charles Clifford Ogle)
Unknown
United States (Sierra Nevada, California)
Private flight.
October 18, 1965
Boeing 307B-1 Stratoliner (F-BELV)
13
Shot down (presumed)
North Pacific Ocean (near Hanoi)
On board were four crew members, and nine international delegation members of the ICSC. A study done in 1996 concluded that the aircraft was most likely shot down by a North Vietnamese military unit.
June 5, 1965
Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar (51-2680)
9
Unknown
North Atlantic Ocean (near the Bahamas)
Four of those lost were mechanics being transported to Grand Turk Island to repair a C-119. Debris from the aircraft was found on 19 July on the beach of Gold Rock Cay just off the shore of Acklins Island.
November 3, 1965
Douglas C-54
68
Engine fire
Costa Rica (Cordillera de Talamanca)
Main article: 1965 Argentine Air Force C-54 disappearance 25 lifebuoys, personal belongings and some wreckage were found in Bocas del Toro Archipelago, but the airplane or bodies were never recovered.
July 11, 1966
Curtiss C-46D Commando (HK-527)
8
Unknown
Near Cerro el Planchon, Chile en route from Bogota, Colombia to Buenos Aires, Argentina
This was a cargo flight. Wreckage was found on 18 November 1966 some 200 km (120 mi) south of Santiago.
July 23, 1966
Douglas DC-3 (HS-OOO)
3
Unknown
Pacific Ocean 840 km off the US coast
Missing on a delivery flight to the Thai Government. The crew radioed a passing airliner that an engine had failed and that they were returning to San Francisco.
March 5, 1967
Grumman HU-16E Albatross (1240)
6
Unknown
Gulf of Mexico (off of Florida)
Rescue flight responding to a fishing boat distress signal near the Carrabelle sea buoy.
October 16, 1967
Cessna 150
2
Unknown
Near Holmö, off the cost of Sweden, en route from Vaasa,Finland to Umeå, Sweden
June 5, 1968
Lockheed A-12 (A-12 Aircraft No. 129)
1
Unknown
Philippine Sea, on a flight from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa
This was an engine replacement check flight. Lost: CIA pilot Jack W. Weeks. Scheduled as last operational A-12 flight from Kadena.
March 9, 1969
Douglas DC-4 (N3821)
3
Unknown
N Atlantic en route from Halifax International Airport to Santa Maria Airport (Azores)
This was a cargo flight.
June 5, 1969
Rivet Amber (Boeing RC-135)
19
Unknown
Bering Sea en route from Shemya AFB, AK to Eielson AFB, AK, ca 400 km E of Shemya
Flight to maintenance facility.
September 21, 1970
Free Life (Rozière balloon, N2079)
3
Weather (presumed)
N Atlantic approx 1000 km SE of Newfoundland
Attempted transatlantic flight (first by balloon).
January 3, 1971
Cessna 172 (N8342L)
2
Weather (presumed)
Lake Michigan (presumed) en route to Holland, Michigan
A snowstorm hit the day of the flight, pilot reported four hours of fuel left. No sign of the plane or occupants has ever been found.
June 13, 1971
Boeing EC-135N (61-0331)
24
Unknown
Pacific Ocean, 113 km S of Hawaii, near Palmyra Atoll en route from Pago Pago to Hickam Air Force Base
Military observation flight returning from French nuclear test Encelade.
February 11, 1972
Douglas C-54A-DO (XW-TDE)
23
Shot down
Laos (between Savannakhet and Vientiane)
Royal Air Lao passenger flight. Last radio contact at 13:20.
May 26, 1972
Lockheed P-3A Orion (152155)
8
Unknown
Pacific Ocean off California, on a routine training mission based at Moffett Federal Airfield
Military training flight.
July 20, 1972
Canadair CC-106 Yukon (LV-JYR)
5
Unknown
En route from Carrasco International Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay to Santiago, Chile
Cargo flight
October 16, 1972
Cessna 310C (N1812H)
4
Unknown
Alaska en route from Anchorage to Juneau
Among the passengers on this flight were Nick Begich and Hale Boggs; both were serving U . Representatives.
January 10, 1974
Douglas DC-4 (TAM-52)
24
Unknown
Central Bolivia en route from Santa Rosa de Yacuma Airport (SRB/SLSR) (14°3′58″S 66°47′12″W / 14 °S 66 °W / -14 ; -66 ) to El Alto International Airport, La Paz
Operated by Transporte Aéreo Militar.
February 16, 1974
Beech 95/B55 Baron (VH-FWR)
2
Unknown
Queensland en route from Gladstone to Longreach
February 21, 1974
Light Heart (superpressure balloon)
1 (Thomas Leigh Gatch, Jr.)
Unknown
1610km W of the Canaries en route from Harrisburg Airport, PA to W Europe
Attempted transatlantic flight (first by balloon). The last radio contact with Gatch saying that he was 1,490 km NE of San Juan, PR on February 19 is disputed.
June 24, 1974
Beechcraft Bonanza V35A (OH-BBD)
6
Unknown
in the vicinity of Bodø, Norway
The flight took off from Ivalo,Finland heading to Bodø, Norway plane was carrying a Sami delegation for a visit to Norway. Main article: Bodø 1974 airplane crash
October 12, 1974
Swan 38 (Lockheed WC-130, 65–0965)
6
Weather
South China Sea
Weather reconnaissance aircraft lost during Typhoon Bess (1974).
September 30, 1975
Tupolev Tu-154 (HA-LCI)
60
Unknown
Mediterranean Sea, close to Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport
Main article: Malév Flight 240
December 24, 1975
Cessna F150H
0 (pilot's body recovered)
Unknown
North Atlantic, near the Isle of Mull, Scotland
Main article: Great Mull Air Mystery
September 24, 1976
Curtiss C-46D Commando (HK-1282)
2
Unknown
Caribbean Sea off Aruba en route to Queen Beatrix International Airport
This was a cargo flight that might have been lost on September 16 rather than the 24th.
November 5, 1976
Douglas DC-3 (HP-671)
2
Unknown
Caribbean Sea en route from Willemstad, Curaçao to Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Cargo flight.
June 30, 1977
Lockheed L-188CF Electra (N126US)
4
Unknown
Caribbean Sea 65 km off Bocas del Toro, Panama en route from San José, Costa Rica to Caracas, Venezuela
One passenger, and three crew members were lost on this cargo flight.
August 16, 1978
Cessna 180 ZK-BMP
4
Unknown
Lake McKerrow, New Zealand
September 21, 1978
Douglas DC-3 (N407D)
4
Unknown
N Atlantic off Ft Lauderdale, FL en route from Ft Lauderdale to Havana, Cuba
Aircraft flying to pick up passengers in Havana.
October 21, 1978
Cessna 182L (VH-DSJ)
1 (Frederick Valentich)
Unknown
Bass Strait, vicinity of Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia (as reported by pilot)
No radar confirmation of the pilot-reported position. Theories of the disappearance range from the pilot being deceived by the illusion of a tilted horizon, to a UFO encounter as shown on Unsolved Mysteries.
October 22, 1978
Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander (H4-AAC)
11
Fuel starvation
Pacific Ocean near Bellona, Solomon Islands
Lost during a Solomon Airlines flight from Bellona to Honiara when the pilot turned back due to weather and became disoriented. Plane ditched while still in radio contact but not recovered.
December 8, 1978
Douglas DC-6A/B (HK-1707X)
3
Unknown
Over the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Colombia on a cargo flight from Bogota to Trinidad, Casanare
Cargo flight.
December 23, 1978
Cessna 185
4
Unknown
Between Red Deer airport and Kamloops, B .
Two passengers survived the crash for at least two days, communicating via radio. Searchers were unable to find the plane and communication stopped.
December 29, 1978
Piper Cherokee Six ZK-EBU
7
Unknown
Milford Sound, New Zealand
January 30, 1979
Boeing 707-323C
6
Unknown
Pacific Ocean 200 km ENE of Tokyo
Main article: Varig Flight 967 Cargo flight which carried 53 of Manabu Mabe's paintings which were lost.
July 7, 1979
Socata Rallye 235GT (N302RA)
3
Unknown
Vicinity of Woody Island (Alaska) en route from Anchorage to Kodiak
Among the missing is Ian Mackintosh.
July 20, 1979
Douglas C-47B-50-DK (N63250)
2
Ditching
Pacific Ocean, near Honolulu
Trans National Airlines ferry flight that became lost and was forced to ditch due to LORAN failure.

References

  1. EMSA
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180712185046/http://www.emsa.europa.eu/retro/Docs/marine_casualties/annex_13.pdf
  2. "He flew like Matías Pérez"
    https://www.cubaplusmagazine.com/en/news/he-flew-like-matias-perez.html
  3. Expeditionen
  4. The New York Times
    https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1914/07/09/100324340.pdf
  5. 75th Year of Naval Aviation: Naval aviation training
    https://books.google.com/books?id=wSBSAQAAMAAJ&q=%22October+17%2C+1918%22+%22a+pilotless+N-9%22&pg=PA38
  6. "(Untitled)"
    http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1924/1924-2.htm
  7. "ASN Aircraft accident Farman F Goliath F-ADFN Atlantic Ocean"
    https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19270505-0
  8. "Société Générale des Transports Aériens – SGTA"
    https://www.baaa-acro.com/operator/societe-generale-des-transports-aeriens-sgta
  9. "The Secret of The White Bird"
    http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=c22b14fc-5c71-4b9b-ac77-a08f5528439f&Dynamic=1
  10. "The Atlantic Strikes Back"
    http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/daredevils/Atlantic%203.htm
  11. "Jacques Hémet's propliners"
    http://www.ruudleeuw.com/others-hemet-p2.htm
  12. Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121107062925/http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19270704.2.37.aspx
  13. Flight Magazine
    http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1927/1927%20-%200348.html
  14. Irish Times
  15. Flight Magazine
    http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1927/1927%20-%200403.html
  16. Irish Times
  17. Irish Times
  18. Flight Magazine
    http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1927/1927%20-%200425.html
  19. aviation-safety
    https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/71118
  20. Irish Times
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