1948 Airborne Transport DC-3 disappearance — the full case file

Pilot Robert Linquist took off with discharged batteries and a faulty landing-gear light instead of delaying for a recharge. A Douglas DC-3 airliner, registration NC16002, disappeared on 28 December 1948 during a scheduled overnight flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami, Florida, with 29 passengers and three crew aboard. No wreckage was ever found and the official investigation could not determine a probable cause. On June 12, 1936, the aircraft, later registered NC16002, was originally built. In November 1948, the aircraft underwent a partial overhaul, including replacement of both engines, followed by an in-flight test to New Jersey and back. On December 27, 1948, NC16002 completed its Miami-to-San Juan leg at 19:40 EST; crew reported a faulty landing-gear warning light and low, discharged batteries. On December 27, 1948, NC16002 departed San Juan at 22:03 EST after delays related to battery and radio issues, circling the city before proceeding toward Miami. At 23:23, Miami air traffic control received a routine transmission from the aircraft reporting its position and estimated arrival time. At 04:13, a transmission reporting the aircraft 50 miles south of Miami was received by New Orleans and relayed to Miami; no further contact was made with the flight. On January 4, 1949, two bodies were found 80-90 kilometers south of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; any connection to the missing flight remains unknown. On July 15, 1949, the Civil Aeronautics Board released its accident investigation report, concluding that probable cause for the loss could not be determined. The case remains unsolved. This case file is kept in memory of Ernest Hill, Mary Burke, and Robert Linquist. The full sourced case file, with every fact cited, is at casepin dot org.

Transcript from the video’s narration track. For every source, open the case file.