Aviation mysteries haunt us and hold our attention and have done so relentlessly over time. The case of EgyptAir Flight 990 is no exception. While the plane itself was found and a cause is speculated, there is no certainty behind what happened that day in 1999. Halloween Day, 1999 EgyptianAir Flight 990 took off from [...]
The story, and occasional mystery, surrounding airline disappearances capture international attention with each occurrence. Experts claim the most common causes of such crashes are mechanical error, weather, and pilot error. A few well-known flights caused by mechanical failures are Delta Flight 191 in 1945, United Airlines Flight 232 in 1989, and Air France Flight 447 [...]
Between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. Navy received more than 150 airships for the war effort. The military used these blimps, produced by the Goodyear Corporation, as convoy escort vessels. The Navy used them to spot enemy submarines and drop depth charges on those they encountered. But of all the airships utilized during World War [...]
I think it’s safe to say that most everyone above the age of 20 conjures the same image when they hear the word “gremlin.” That popular movie defines gremlins for many, but did you know that gremlins are a part of WWII history? In fact, gremlins are typically characterized as having a particular interest in aircraft [...]
The Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation propliner is a rather large plane with a wingspan of over 126 ft. and a length of over 116 ft. It can carry up to 95 passengers with a crew of five. So, how did a plane like this simply vanish into thin air? That’s a mystery that, to this [...]
Buckle up readers. This one is creepy and quite sad. Imagine sitting comfortably in your seat during takeoff, everything seems to be going well, then the oxygen masks drop. You’re up high, but the plane is still ascending. No word from the cockpit. Imagine the absolute confusion and terror. Those on the ground thought it [...]
On November 8, 1957, a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser left San Francisco International Airport at 11:51 am (PST) for Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. It was a Friday and, for many people, it was probably a rather ordinary day. Pan Am Flight 7, registration N90944, Clipper Romance of The Skies was an around-the-world flight; its first leg [...]
45 years ago, on November 24, 1971, an unidentified man hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft somewhere in the airspace between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. The perpetrator has never been located or identified, despite an extensive manhunt and FBI Investigation. To this day, he is known only by his alias Dan Cooper—or, more popularly, “D.B. [...]
The man who wore many hats (although it's possible it was just a snake that swallowed an elephant) While the name Antoine de Saint-Exupéry might not resonate with you right away, there’s a good chance that you’re more familiar with him—or his work—than you might think. Ever hear of The Little Prince (or Le Petit [...]
Of all the animals who have found themselves written into the annals of aviation history, perhaps one of the oddest instances involves a woodchuck named Tailwind. Woodchucks don’t just accidentally find themselves in the air (they’re groundhogs, after all), at least not that we can surmise. No, in this instance, this rodent was brought aboard [...]
