I'll start this from the beginning, and try to trace this to today. Douglas DC-4, similar to that flown during flight 2501. A Coast Guard patrol boat found wreckage floating 12 miles northwest of St. Joseph, 6 to 8 miles offshore. -. If you have a couple of minutes, we'd like to collect your feedback on it. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Safety was harder to do at that time. Museum visitors will also see Mr. Barton's check book, which had been floating on the surface of Lake Michigan for several days before being recovered. "For me, since I never met him and never hada chance to talk to him," he said, "it kind of brings me closer to him to know exactly where this happened, and what happened.". The two ships were bound for Muskegon, Michigan, but they encountered a storm. I personally think it was struck by lightning, some stray charge managed to get to the engines or something, and it blew up. The wreck was finally found in 2005 by a diver with A&T Recovery out of Chicago, according to MLive.com. "Mysteries Beneath the Waves", which will focus on shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, and "Fatal Crossing: The Disappearance of NWA Flight 2501. In addition to diving operations, the entire area was dragged with grapnel but without results. Trinity High School graduate Tim Chopp lands his C-54 plane, Spirit of Freedom, which is similar to the aircraft that crashed mysteriously in 1950. 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. Kenneth Skoug Jr., who was 18 when his father's plane went down, said family members of victims were largely left in the dark. 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 . "This art will hopefully show the moments right before whatever caused the plane to crash.". That was the last correspondence heard from Flight 2501. The . Van Heest has been able to connect with family members of 53 of the 58 victims, includingthe Skougs. 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. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. "I'm more hopeful than ever because now, we are (searching) in the most logical place for the plane to have crashed. At 2358, Chicago ARTC, at the request of Northwest Airlines, alerted air-sea rescue facilities in the area, which included the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and the state police of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Reports vary as to when strange occurrences started happening on the waters of Lake Michigan. Civil Aeronautics Board Official Accident Investigation, Northwest Airlines Inc, Benton Harbour, Michigan, USA, June 23, 1950. Crew were thorougly briefed on weather through the journey before the disappearance, An updated forecast was issued one hour and 40 minutes prior to the disappearance, but couldn't be made available in time for the flight, Request of descent, but traffic in the area restricted that. 1 talking about this. The Aviation Business Center was transformed into a 1950s airline ticket counter and an air traffic control tower, and actors used the centers hangar offices to change costumes and have makeup applied. Because of thunderstorms in the Midwest, the plane had to adjust itsflight plan, running between South Haven and Ludington, Michigan. The Lake Michigan Triangle is believed to have caused numerous shipwrecks and aerial disappearances over the years. Two new exhibits will be opening this weekend at the Michigan Maritime Museum. Some info: Captain Lind had recieved an advisory at 7:45 warning about thunderstorms and squalls. ", "There were 55 passengers and 3 crew members aboard Flight 2501," said Valerie van Heest, president of Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, curator of the Fatal Crossing museum exhibit, and author of the book entitled, Fatal Crossing: The Mysterious Disappearance of NWA Flight 2501 and the Quest for Answers. On Expedition Unknown, Josh Gates searches for a commercial airliner that mysteriously vanished on June 23, 1950 while flying between New York City and Seattle. So, on the evening of June 23, 1950, as Northwest Orient Flight 2501, a fully loaded Douglas DC-4, roared westward on a New York-to-Seattle flight bound for a layover in Minneapolis, its 55 passengers were well aware of the dangers. He also gives talks about Great Lakes maritime history at libraries and historical societies throughout the Great Lakes Region, and his website Michigan Mysteries is well-known. . The way they abruptly ended suggested Kubacki had fallen through the ice and died of either hypothermia or by drowning. However, 36 years later in 1911, the Rosabelle was found again overturned and floating with no sign of any crew or passengers. 239 lives are believed to be lost. There is still a search going on right now, with it being led by Valerie Van Heest. As the plane headed west over Michigan and approached the lakeshore,Capt. Episode 1. This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Networks opinion as to the cause of the accident. An intensive search of the Lake Michigan area was commenced at daylight June 24. While the search continues this spring, a link to the past is being created. The development of the DC-4 dated back to 1938 when United Airlines conceived the first four-engine, long-range airliner. During the same period, all CAA (Civil Aeronautics Administration) radio stations in the Chicago-Minneapolis area tried to contact the flight on all frequencies. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays. Her statement -> "It sounded like a plane came over our house and it went away and it acme back again," said Eldred. 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. This has led many to believe extraterrestrials are drawn to the area, or that its home to a time portal. At 2149, when over Cleveland, Ohio, a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet was again requested by the flight and this time approved by ARTC. "Blankets with the markings 'N.W.,' a plane log, and an airplane maintenance report were picked from the water," the Free Press reported. . Outlaw Fortune. There was a problem saving your notification. "Bryan's painting will be unveiled at the opening of the exhibit," said van Heest. I think the pilot got into storm downdrafts that were so bad, they literally pushed (the plane) into the lake. MAIN FINDING: No sufficient evidence upon which to make a deterination of probable cause. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism The captain of the Rouse Simmons turned around and sailed back to Chicago to wait out the storm, but the Thomas Hume continued on, and that was the last time anybody saw the ship or the six men aboard. racist or sexually-oriented language. Chopp, however, has a theory. On Friday, June 23, 1950, Northwest Airlines Flight 2501, operating with a DC-4, departed New York's LaGuardia airport at 8:30 PM EST and headed west to Seattle Washington, with planed stops in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Spokane, Washington. Ice-covered Lake Michigan. At 2251, Flight 2501 reported that it was over Battle Creek at 3,500 feet, and that it would be over Milwaukee at 2337. Doomed 1950 flight reenacted for TV at Washington Airport, Walls leads Rays against the Pirates after 4-hit performance, Folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot dies at 84, EDITORIAL: Revamp laws for legal guardians, OP-ED: I'm sick. Use the 'Report' link on It features Chopps aircraft, which he said is the only four-propeller, engine-driven plane used in the U.S. for historical purposes. The missing aircraft was assumed to have been involved in an accident at 0530 since the fuel supply at that time would have been exhausted. Newly-found mass grave in South Haven's Lakeview Cemetery for Flight 2501 victims. For many years, he worked as a public safety diver for the Benzie Area Public Safety Dive Team and as a Special Deputy for the Benzie County Sheriffs Department. It's like the last photograph that maybe never got taken," said Bryan Snuffer, who owns and operates an art gallery in Muskegon, Michigan. Exclusive shows & extensions. Many experts are skeptical of the discovery, with Holley acknowledging that experts are needed to confirm its existence. Flight 2501 left New York the night of June 23, 1950, en route toSeattle, with a planned stop in Minneapolis. Scan this QR code to download the app now. As the ship approached its destination at Port Washington, Wisconsin, a crewmember went to wake him up, only to find him missing and the door locked from the inside. In 1921, the ship was transporting supplies when it was found overturned in the water. Carrier, crew, and aircraft were properly certificated. Kubacki told reporters he had no memory of the past year and a half. I linked my sources throughout the post. Full-screen FlightAware TV maps for operators or FBOs. Threats of harming another Divers descended at the points where strong sonar contacts were made. However, no other ship reported a collision or showed up in nearby ports with unexplained damage. The investigation into what happened to Flight 2501 was short-lived because the Korean War broke out soon after. This allows us to be seen in other parts of the country, and thats a win. ", "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. The flight plan was to cruise at 6000 feet until they reach Minneapolis. 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. "That means what they found had drifted for two days to move from the spot . Nearly 70 years later,families are still seeking answers. Van Heest and author and explorer Clive Cussler started looking for the airliner in 2004. This was crucial. Ludington Lighthouse. MANITOWOC, Wis. For those who live on the shores of Lake Michigan, many stories of shipwrecksanddisappearancesare all credited to one phenomenon the Lake Michigan Triangle. Americas Vanished Airliner promises to be compelling viewing for anyone who flips to the Discovery Channel on Wednesday evening. The largest multinational search-and-rescue in history was launched. Intensive search, only a smattering of debris and body parts were recovered. Researchers who have spent years hunting for the plane's remains set out again this springbut this time have more advanced equipment and a much narrower search area. At 7:30 on the evening of Friday, June 23, 1950, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 departed New York City on a transcontinental. Buried Secrets of Hitler. (6 minutes early) Saturday 22-Apr-2023 09:27AM MDT. The hourlong program Wednesday was filmed at the county airport over several days in early September. I just found it to be an interesting story like flight Mh370. If you have a subscription, please Perhaps one of the stranger disappearances in the Triangle is that of Captain George R. Donner. The event is by invitation only and is scheduled to begin around 5 p.m. Family members of Flight 2501 will be in attendance. Don't Threaten. "I got a phone call from Cathy Barton, the daughter of Merle Barton," said van Heest. "We hope to answer both of those.". And these words: "In Memory of Northwest . Visual story: Moment by moment details of how fatal 'Rust' movie set shooting unfolded, Education: These are the most desirable and well-paid college degrees in America. Welcome! The unexplained disappearance of Northwest Flight 2501 over Lake Michigan On June 23, 1950, a plane traveling from New York to Minneapolis crashed into Lake Michigan. Be Truthful. Air traffic records show the plane's captain called in at 11:51 p.m. local time to update his planned flyover in Milwaukee at 11:37 p.m. PROBABLE CAUSE: "Insufficient evidence upon which to make a determination of probable cause. Despite appearing to have been involved in a collision, there were no other shipwrecks or reports of an accident. 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. We take a closer look at the story behind the only large commercial aircraft in US history to go missing. We appreciate you trying our new Live Surface Map feature. On the following day, at 18:30, a United States Coast Guard cutter found an oil slick, and aircraft debris in Lake Michigan approximately 18 miles north . We take a closer look at the story behind the only large commercial aircraft in US history to go missing. I said, Try Washington Airport. I wouldnt let that go by without thinking about my hometown.. ARTC was unable to approve this altitude because of other traffic. The line between the airports does. We've all been sick for a year, OP-ED: Tucker Carlson, not just Trump, damaged conservatism, Civil service commission upholds Donora police superintendent suspension. Episode 4. Merle Barton's hair styling kit recovered from the surface of Lake Michigan, and now on display at the Michigan Maritime Museum. A storm startig forming, and by midnight, there was a thunderstorm in the skies. "There was a storm brewing over the Great Lakes region.". Stay up to date by signing up for one of our newsletters. Saturday 22-Apr-2023 06:29AM PDT. It was scheduled to land in Minneapolis before heading to Seattle, which was the flight-plan's final destination. ARTC estimated that the two flights would pass each other in the vicinity of Battle Creek, Mich., and that the standard separation of 1,000 feet would not be sufficient because of the turbulence. It was first proposed by Charles Berlitz. Episode 2. Along with the artifacts on display, a new piece of art has been created by a local artist to help commemorate the opening of the exhibit as well as possibly help bring some closure to the victim's family members. or anything. In 2008 she attended a ceremony at the cemetery with 58 family members of Flight 2501 where a large black granite marker now lists the names of the 58. It features a similar alignment to the famous formation found in England, except it has one outlying boulder with whats believed to be an ancient carving of a Mastodon. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. He said he hopes van Heest and Busch are successful. Chopp (pronounced Chope) also is a longtime aviator he learned to fly at Greene County Airport at 18. The flight plan filed with ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) specified a cruising altitude of 6 000 feet to Minneapolis. High 43F. The Mystery of Northwest Flight 2501. All passengers and crew members on board the plane have been presumed dead. A forgotten grave was found unmarked in South Haven with the victims. At this time, Captain Lind entered the area of the storm. This theory was presented to the public in aviator Jay Gourleys book, The Great Lakes Triangle. Acknowledgement that ARTC could not approve descent to 2,500 feet was received at 2315, and this was the last communication received from the flight. The next day, snowmobilers found his equipment abandoned, and police located his footprints on the ice. At 2251, Flight 2501 reported that it was over Battle Creek at 3,500 feet, and that it would be over Milwaukee at 2337. He added, proudly, that he has flown slightly more than 600 missions in the craft, including 21 annual flights in Kitty Hawk, N.C., to honor the Wright brothers. Busch not only has a specialized "sonar sled"for scouring the Great Lakes' cold, murky depths, but also a three-person submarine that can go down 1,000 feet. Everyone is familiar in one way or another with the southern Atlantics Bermuda Triangle. She said finding what remains of the plane could not only solve a historical mystery, but also help provide families answers and closure. 8.3 "Hunting Our Ancient Ancestors" February 19, 2020 . Buried Secrets of the Nazis. Episode 5 . It's only a matter of time," saidValerie van Heest, an avid underwater explorer and president of theMichigan Shipwreck Research Association. She wrote a book about it in 2013 called "Fatal Crossing: The mysterious disappearance of NWA Flight 2501 and the quest for answers." 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. "Back then, if you were going the whole way, from New York to Seattle, it was (a) $100 ticket, one-way.". In it, he stated: The Great Lakes account for more unexplained disappearances per unit area than the Bermuda Triangle., Boundaries of the Lake Michigan Triangle. When the plane failed to check in over Milwaukee, the airline began trying to locate it with no success. We couldnt leave them hanging after all these years," she said. For the past decade, a group of people has been determined to find Flight 2501, while at the same time doing everything they can to make sure this tragedy is never forgotten. Relying on dataabout water currents, reports of where plane debris was spotted and other information and after ruling out previously searched areas van Heest and Buschhave narrowed the search field to about 10 squaremiles southwest of St. Joseph, in 300 to 350 feet of water. Josh shares his findings . (Photo Credit: Click On Detroit / Google Maps). "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. [Arizona] John Doe (2021) identified as . NWA Flight 2501 was considered the worst aviation crash of its time and as one of the greatest tragedies of the Great Lakes. "We couldn't get Northwest to explain anything. Acknowledgement that ARTC could not approve descent to 2,500 feet was received at 2315, and this was the last communication received from the flight. At approximately 2325, June 23, 1950, a C-54A-DC, N-95425, owned and operated by Northwest Airlines, crashed into Lake Michigan approximately 18 miles north-northwest of Benton Harbor, Mich. None of the 55 passengers and three crew members survived. Log In. This website uses cookies. Whats more, the 11-person crew was nowhere to be found. It stretches from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Ludington, Michigan, before heading south to Benton Harbor, Michigan.