True Life Tuesday: Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501

This is an interesting mystery that remains unsolved today. On the evening of June 23, 1950 Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 was on its normal flight from LaGuardia in New York City to Seattle. Around 12:13am air traffic control lost radio contact with the plane about 18 mile NNW of Benton Harbor, Michigan. The plane was flying over an area of Lake Michigan known as the Michigan Triangle. This area is know for its mysterious disappearances. There were 58 people on board the aircraft - 3 crew members and 55 passengers. At the time it was the deadliest commercial airline disaster.

Witnessed claimed to hear an engine sputtering and seeing a flash of light in the area where the plane is believed to have been when radio contact was lost. There were thunderstorms in the area and the plane was experiencing a squall line and turbulence. Since the wreckage was never found it cannot be confirmed that weather was the cause of the crash.

Only light debris, some upholstery and body fragments were located. The body parts were buried in unmarked graves in St Joseph and South Haven Michigan. The families were never advised that this occurred. 

Since 2004 the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association has held an annual search for the wreckage of the plane. There was also an episode of the Discovery Channel show Expedition Unknown about this case.