NC16002 disappearance
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The NC16002 Disappearance involved a Airborne Transport DC-3 airliner which vanished on December 28, 1948 near the end of a scheduled flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Miami, Florida. The aircraft carried 29 passengers and three crew members.
Captained by pilot Robert Linquist, assisted by co-pilot Ernest Hill and stewardess Mary Burkes, the aircraft ended its Miami-San Juan leg at 19:40 EST on 27 December. Linquist informed local repair crewmen that a landing gear warning light was not functioning and that the aircraft batteries were discharged and low on water. Unwilling to delay the aircraft's scheduled takeoff for Miami for several hours, Linquist said the batteries would be recharged by the aircraft’s generators en route.
Linquist taxied NC16002 to the end of runway 27 for takeoff, but stopped at the end of the tarmac due to lack of two-way radio communication. Though capable of receiving, Linquist reported to the head of Puerto Rican Transport, who had driven out to the aircraft, that the radio could not transmit because of the low batteries. After agreeing to stay close to San Juan until they were recharged enough to allow two-way contact, NC16002 finally lifted off at 22:03. After circling the city for 11 minutes, Linquist received confirmation from CAA at San Juan that they had received a message from him, and he was authorised to break the holding pattern and head for Miami.
The weather was fine with high visibility, but the aircraft did not not respond to subsequent calls from San Juan. At 23:23, the Overseas Foreign Air Route Traffic Control Center at Miami heard a routine transmission from NC16002, wherein Linquist reported they were at 8,300 ft and had an ETA of 04:03. His message placed the flight about 700 miles from Miami. Transmissions were heard sporadically throughout the night by Miami, but all were routine.
At 03:40 Linquist reported he was 50 miles south of Miami. The transmission was not heard at Miami but was monitored at New Orleans, Louisiana, some 600 miles away, and was relayed to Miami. The accident investigation report [1] issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board said the pilot may have incorrectly reported his position.
Miami weather was clear but the wind had moved from northwest to northeast. The accident investigation report said Miami transmitted the wind change information but neither Miami or New Orleans "were able to contact the flight" so it is unknown whether NC16002 received it. Without this knowledge the aircraft could have drifted 40 to 50 miles off course, which widened the search area to include hills in Cuba, the Everglades and even Gulf Of Mexico waters.
Nothing further was heard from Linquist and the aircraft has never been found. In subsequent years, researchers into unexplained disappearances have included the flight among others said to have disappeared in what is called the Bermuda Triangle.
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[edit] Further reading
- Quasar, Gian (2003). Into the Bermuda Triangle : Pursuing the Truth Behind the World's Greatest Mystery, 1st ed., International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press. ISBN 007142640X.
