Amelia Earhart in the cockpit of her Lockheed Electra 10-E [Credit: Purdue University Libraries]
Key Takeaways:
Records concerning Amelia Earhart's 1937 disappearance, classified for 88 years, have been declassified by President Trump, revealing details from the National Archives.
The files include Amelia Earhart's letter to President Roosevelt requesting U.S. Navy assistance for her non-commercial, around-the-world flight and documenting her proposed refueling over Midway Island.
Her final radio transmissions indicated she and Fred Noonan were lost, low on fuel, and unable to locate Howland Island, leading to an extensive but ultimately fruitless 16-day search by the Navy and Coast Guard.
Despite the search, no wreckage or signs of the fliers were ever found, though declassified documents mention persistent theories, including their alleged capture by the Japanese.
It has been 88 years since Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan disappeared over the South Pacific. But until now the records of the search have remained classified.
Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
