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While Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is widely recognized as a prominent disappearance in modern aviation, numerous other aircraft have vanished under mysterious circumstances long before this tragic event. Below is a list of ten lesser-known plane wrecks that have never been found.
10. The Campbell Airship
Dating back to the dawn of aviation, the Campbell Airship represents one of the earliest recorded crashes. This dirigible, constructed by Peter Campbell in the 1880s, predates the invention of conventional airplanes.
Sadly, like many pioneering aviation endeavors, this aircraft did not achieve success. On July 16, 1889, Edward D. Hogan, a professor, took the helm of the airship for a demonstration flight originating in New York City.
However, this marked the final sighting of the airship. After departing New York, it was last observed heading toward the North Atlantic. Despite extensive searches, no wreckage has ever been recovered, though it is speculated that the airship crashed near Atlantic City, New Jersey, around 5:30 pm due to mechanical issues.
Given the airship's considerable size, one might assume it would be easily located. Yet, both the pilot and the aircraft vanished without a trace, never to be found.
9. Cecil Grace’s Airplane
Merely seven years after the Wright brothers' historic flight in 1903, Cecil Grace, an early aviation enthusiast, entered the Baron de Forest competition. This challenge offered a £2,000 prize for the longest flight from England to continental Europe. Despite previous attempts by other aviators ending in failure, Grace decided to take on the challenge.
On December 22, 1910, Cecil Grace embarked on his journey from England but soon encountered strong winds, posing a significant challenge. To avoid trouble, he made an emergency landing on the French coast, paused for lunch, and prepared for his return flight to England.
Despite confirming his departure for the 40-minute trip back to England, no further communication was received from him. Initial reports suggested he might have landed safely, but on March 14, 1911, his cap and goggles were discovered washed ashore near Ostend, Belgium.
The fate of the pilot remains largely a mystery, though his body was reportedly recovered later. As for the aircraft, its final resting place may never be discovered.
8. Albert Jewell’s Airplane
Born in 1886 in the United States, Albert Jewell was an early 20th-century aviator. He earned his pilot's license from the Aero Club of America in 1913, just half a year before his ill-fated final flight.
In 1913, the New York Times hosted the American Aerial Derby, a race celebrating the tenth anniversary of Orville Wright's inaugural flight. The course spanned a 60-mile (96-kilometer) loop, beginning and ending in Staten Island.
The competition captivated Albert, a young and ambitious pilot, prompting him to participate. He flew a Moisant-Blériot monoplane, departing from Staten Island with great optimism.
Tragically, his aircraft was reportedly swept out to sea during the race. A fishing boat captain was the last to spot him, flying near the southern coast of Long Island. After that, Albert and his plane vanished without a trace, leaving no wreckage or remains behind.
7. Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10E
In 1937, Amelia Earhart, accompanied by her navigator Fred Noonan, embarked on a historic journey from Oakland, California, aboard a Lockheed Electra 10E. Their mission was to circumnavigate the globe, a daring and unprecedented endeavor.
The initial leg of their flight proceeded smoothly, with the duo arriving in New Guinea within a month. By then, they had already covered 22,000 miles, leaving just 7,000 miles to complete their journey back to Oakland.
Tragically, Earhart and Noonan never made it home. After departing from Lae, they aimed for a small Pacific island to refuel before continuing to the U.S. However, they vanished over the ocean. Despite extensive search efforts, they were officially declared deceased on January 5, 1939.
The prevailing theory suggests they ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. Other hypotheses propose they may have crashed near Nikumaroro Island, with Earhart surviving for a time. In 2022, researchers aimed to use advanced imaging to confirm if a metal fragment discovered in 1991 belonged to her plane.
Despite numerous theories, the wreckage of her plane has never been conclusively located, leaving her disappearance an enduring mystery.
6. Flight 19
On December 5, 1945, Flight 19, a squadron of torpedo bombers, embarked on a U.S. Navy training mission. The group consisted of 14 aviators, all of whom mysteriously lost contact with their base while flying over the Bermuda Triangle.
Upon discovering the disappearance, the U.S. Navy initiated a search and rescue operation, deploying a Mariner flying boat. Unfortunately, this aircraft also vanished without a trace, adding to the mystery.
Despite extensive efforts, neither the wreckage nor the crew members were ever recovered. Over the years, several plane wrecks were discovered between 1986 and 2015, but none matched Flight 19. Future investigations may one day uncover the truth behind this enduring enigma.
5. The Patrie
The Patrie, a French airship resembling a dirigible, was constructed for military use by the French army. While it completed numerous successful flights, disaster struck in 1907.
In November 1907, while anchored in Souhesmes, France, the airship broke free during a storm. Despite the efforts of hundreds of soldiers to secure it, the ship drifted away and disappeared from view.
The airship was spotted again in the days that followed, with sightings reported over the English Channel and finally near Belfast. However, it eventually drifted into the Atlantic Ocean, vanishing forever.
Despite extensive search operations, the airship was never recovered after its final sighting. To this day, it remains lost, presumed to rest at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
4. Canadian Pacific Air Lines Douglas DC-4
The Vancouver Douglas DC-4, operated by Canadian Pacific Air Lines, departed from Vancouver International Airport on July 21, 1951, as Flight 3505, with a planned stop at Anchorage Airport.
The flight proceeded smoothly at first, staying on schedule. However, as it approached Alaska, severe rain and ice conditions developed. Despite this, no distress signals were sent, and the situation appeared under control.
When the plane failed to arrive in Alaska two hours after its scheduled landing time, the U.S. and Canadian Air Forces initiated a search operation. The search yielded no results and was eventually abandoned. Neither the passengers nor the aircraft were ever located, with experts concluding the wreckage was likely destroyed upon impact.
3. Dragonfly ZK-AFB Disappearance
On February 12, 1962, pilot Brian Chadwick and four Australian passengers departed from Christchurch, New Zealand, en route to Milford Sound.
Although the weather appeared somewhat unstable, the pilot believed he could navigate to the destination without problems. Unfortunately, his confidence proved misplaced.
The aircraft, expected to arrive in Milford Sound shortly after 12:30 pm, never reached its destination. Milford Sound airport reported it missing, prompting the largest aerial search in New Zealand's history, involving 34 planes and over 400 hours of flight time.
Despite the extensive search, the plane was never located. To this day, a few dedicated individuals continue to search for the missing aircraft, though no significant evidence has ever been uncovered.
2. Trans Tasman Flight Disappearance
Numerous plane disappearances have occurred when pilots pushed boundaries, aimed to set records, or competed for glory. One such tragic flight involved Lieutenant John Moncrieff and Captain George Hood.
The two pilots were determined to achieve the first trans-Tasman flight from Australia to New Zealand. In 1928, they embarked on this ambitious journey, taking off from Sydney around 2:00 AM on January 10.
Over the next 12 hours, the duo transmitted radio signals from their plane. Despite the anticipation of their arrival in New Zealand, the aircraft never landed. A search operation was initiated, but it yielded no results, and neither the pilots nor their plane were ever found.
1. Gustav Hamel Wreck
Gustav Hamel, a British aviator, was a pioneer in early aviation. However, his passion for flying led him into unforeseen dangers.
On May 23, 1914, the young aviator was piloting a Morane-Saulnier monoplane over the English Channel. The aircraft was a recent addition to his collection, and he intended to race it in the Aerial Derby later that same day.
Sadly, Gustav never reached the derby. He was last seen flying near Calais, France, during what should have been a brief 25-minute journey. However, powerful winds disrupted his course, leading to his disappearance.
When Gustav failed to arrive in England within the expected timeframe, a search operation was launched. After 48 hours, he was declared deceased. Although a body believed to be his was later recovered, the wreckage of his plane remains missing to this day.
