", "It was hard knowing that's all my mother had," said Cathy Barton-Snyder, who was 3-years old when her father died on Flight 2501, and now resides in San Antonio, Texas. "We couldn't get Northwest to explain anything. What went wrong as the planeflew from New York to Seattleremains a mystery. Theories surrounding UFOs and extraterrestrials roaming the skies of the Lake Michigan Triangle are spurred on by the mysterious disappearance of Northwest Airlines flight 2501. "We think we have a pretty good chance," Busch said. Many of the pieces were encrusted in human flesh.". Full-screen FlightAware TV maps for operators or FBOs. After more than 60 years, the . This website uses cookies. A similar scenario happened along the coast of South Haven, Michigan. Eventually, the crew decided to forcibly open the captains locked door and were surprised to find he was gone. In this file photo from 2015, Tim Chopp mans the cockpit of Spirit of Freedom, which will be featured along with Washington County Airport on Discovery Channels Expedition Unknown at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Valerie van Heest, a co-founder and researcher with MSRA, teamed up with author and explorer, Clive . The exhibit will open to the public on Sunday, May 4. Since there were other flights in the area, that permission could not be granted, and that is the last known communication from Flight 2501. Rick Shrum joined the Observer-Reporter as a reporter in 2012, after serving as a section editor, sports reporter and copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Latest Articles. Expedition Unknown is just that it focuses on historic, scientific and archaeological sites that are either enshrouded in mystery or highlighted by new information. Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 was a DC-4 propliner operating its daily transcontinental service between New York City and Seattle when it disappeared on the night of June 23, 1950. The flight plan filed with ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) specified a cruising altitude of 6 000 feet to Minneapolis. Searchers found debris that indicated the plane may have exploded in midair, or suffered the equivalent of an explosion when it hit the water. "We hope to answer both of those.". When the plane failed to check in over Milwaukee, the airline began trying to locate it with no success. Since then, the Coast Guard and aircraft flying in that area have maintained a sea and air surveillance. Ships have sailed the Great Lakes since at least the 17th century, when the Le Griffon became the first recorded ship to travel the waters of Lake Michigan. Here, a plane with 55 passengers and 3 crew members vanished without a trace, with only a smattering of debris and a few bodies washing up. Van Heest said she believes Lind asked for the lowered altitude and veered south from the original flight path to avoid a squall he thought was heading east over Lake Michigan. Changy suggests that the plane was carrying electric equipment to China without the US approval, which may have led to the confrontation by the US Air Force. More from us: 130 Dwellings Found At Ringheiligtum Pmmelte, Germanys Stonehenge. Episode 1. Cookie Notice Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. 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According to Stonehouse, that is the fate Flight 2501 from Northwest Orient Airlines met on June 23, 1950. "Bryan's painting will be unveiled at the opening of the exhibit," said van Heest. This has led some to theorize it was abducted by aliens. He flies Spirit of Freedom nationwide to support that cause. For more information, please see our He owns a C-54 plane called Spirit of Freedom, which, he said, is the military version of the ill-fated DC-4. "That means what they found had drifted for two days to move from the spot . And after the search was officially called off five days afterwards, body parts and debris kept washing up on the beaches. Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 was a DC-4 prop-liner that flew daily transcontinental routes connecting the east coast of New York City to the far west coast of Seattle, Washington when it . "She said that her mother, Merle Barton's wife, was called by Northwest Airlines several days after the accident and was asked to come to down to corporate headquarters and pick up the belongings that they had identified as belonging to her husband. "Things that have not seen the light of day for more than 60 years.". On board were 55 passengers, 2, 500 gallons of fuel, 80 gallons of oil, and 490 pounds of express, which resulted in an aircraft weight of 71, 342 pounds for takeoff. As this museum exhibit opens, the search for Flight 2501 continues. Stay up to date by signing up for one of our newsletters. High 43F. Which story is 'JL50' inspired from? With the discovery of the Thomas Hume wreck in 2005, the Rosa Belle can be credited as the earliest story of an unexplained disappearance in the Lake Michigan Triangle. This dialogue will close in 60 seconds or you can click the exit icon in the top right corner to go back to the flight map immediately. 1 talking about this. The largest multinational search-and-rescue in history was launched. There however, was a witness near South Haven who experienced someting. MU Plus+ Podcasts. The crew alerted nearby ports and ships to search for the captain in the water in case he did somehow go overboard, but no sign of him was ever found. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. While there are those who believe him to be lying regarding his supposed amnesia, others feel an alien abduction is the reason behind his disappearance and lack of memory. "Anything belonging to the airplane was collected and sent to the Civil Aeronautics Board for investigation, and anything belonging to the passengers went to Northwest Airlines Corporate Headquarters," sand van Heest. Comprehensive flight tracking to enhance your FBO operations and increase sales. At 0530, June 25, underwater search operations were conducted with divers and sonar equipment. "We have some concern whether there's enough debris remaining at the bottom of the lake that can still be picked up by sonar," van Heest added. Chopp, however, has a theory. Expedition Unknown Kicks Off with a New Discovery About D-Day Load More. Cussler is no longer involved with the search. 5 unsolved Michigan cold cases, mysteries - WDIV Missing flight MH370 found riddled with bullet holes in Google Earth images, claims expert. Were very fortunate to be selected as the host airport for the show, she said. After two days of operation, the Navy suspended their search because of the difficult conditions, and because nothing had been found which would indicate that the aircraft could be recovered. The Disappearance of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Consultative detailed and customized flight tracking data reports. Debris was found by volunteers clearing a beach in St Andre, Reunion . . An intensive search of the Lake Michigan area was commenced at daylight June 24. Flight 2501 was a DC-4 propliner operating its daily transcontinental service between New York City It had four Pratt and Whitney, R2000 "Wasp" piston engines that could generate 1,450 horsepower. Changy, in her book, dismisses all other previous theories, including hijacking, fire onboard, drop in cabin pressure, etc. racist or sexually-oriented language. It was their normal routine, and they were used to it. The two ships were bound for Muskegon, Michigan, but they encountered a storm. Get the FlightAware App for the best flight tracking experience on your device. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Similar to the Bermuda Triangle, the Lake Michigan Triangle is an area between Manitowocin Wisconsin and Ludington and Benton Harbor in Michigan where ships and airplanes have vanished and people have reported seeing strange flashes of light or ghostly apparitions. Because of thunderstorms in the Midwest, the plane had to adjust itsflight plan, running between South Haven and Ludington, Michigan. The possibility of locating anything was slight, and movement was severely restricted. The flight 2501 was scheduled to operate between the terminal points of New York, N. Y., and Seattle, Wash, via intermediate points of Minneapolis, Minn., and Spokane, Wash. At approximately 1931 the flight departed from LaGuardia Airport for Minneapolis with a crew consisting of Robert C. Lind, captain, Verne F. Wolfe, first officer, and Bonnie A. Feldman, stewardess. This was the case for the family of Merle Barton, who was a passenger on Flight 2501. An extensive search of the lake and nearby ports was undertaken by Hackley and Hume, the company that owned the Thomas Hume, but nothing was found of the ship, not even small debris. Flight 2501 hit Cleveland, Ohio, around 10:49 p.m., and Lind's request to drop to 4,000 feet was approved by traffic control. As the plane headed west over Michigan and approached the lakeshore,Capt. According to Stonehouse, that is the fate Flight 2501 from Northwest Orient Airlines met on June 23, 1950. The search is in its 11th year and is now being headed-up by Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, which is based out of Holland. A forgotten grave was found unmarked in South Haven with the victims. Given the mythology and alleged paranormal aspects of Englands Stonehenge, its theorized the one beneath Lake Michigan contains similar properties. NWA Flight 2501 was considered the worst aviation crash of its time and as one of the greatest tragedies of the Great Lakes.