ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Knowledgia What Actually Happened During Amelia Earhart’s Journey?
Amelia Earhart, often called the “Babe of the Sky,” was born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas. She became one of the most famous pilots in America and around the world. Amelia was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, both as a passenger and later as a solo pilot. She set many records and achieved great things in her life. However, her story also includes a mysterious and tragic end.
In July 1937, during her second attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world, Amelia Earhart disappeared. Her first attempt began on March 17, 1937, with navigators Fred Noonan and Harry Manning, a skilled radio operator. They flew from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, but problems arose during takeoff from Hawaii, ending the journey early. When Earhart and Noonan decided to try again two months later, Manning chose not to join them due to the earlier issues.
Determined to succeed, Amelia and Fred Noonan set off again on May 21, 1937, in their Lockheed 10-Electra plane, carrying 1,000 pounds of fuel. They left Oakland, California, and headed to Miami, Florida. The journey went well as they stopped to refuel in places like South America, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. After 42 days, they reached Lae, New Guinea, having traveled 22,000 miles with only 7,000 miles left to go.
On July 2, Amelia and Fred took off from Lae, planning to fly 2,556 miles to Howland Island for refueling. Harry Belfour, in charge of radio operations in New Guinea, tried to warn them about strong headwinds that could affect their fuel and speed. It’s unclear if Amelia received these messages.
At 2:18 PM, Amelia reported flying at 140 knots at 7,000 feet. An hour later, she climbed to 10,000 feet, possibly to avoid clouds. They struggled to communicate with the Itasca, a ship waiting for them near Howland Island. Amelia’s last transmission said, “Itasca, we must be on you but cannot see you… gas is running low… been unable to reach you by radio… we are flying at 1,000 feet.” At 8:43 AM, she sent her final message: “We are on the line 157, 337. We will repeat this on 6210 kilocycles. Wait.” The message was never repeated.
Amelia’s journey turned into a search and rescue mission. The Itasca searched the Pacific Ocean around Howland Island. Five days later, the U.S. battleship Colorado and the U.S.S. Lexington joined the search. The U.S. Navy even flew over Gardner Island, spotting signs of recent inhabitants, but found no evidence of Amelia or her plane.
Many believe the plane simply ran out of fuel, as Amelia indicated in her final messages. The Jet Propulsion Center at Cal Tech supports this idea, suggesting that headwinds and altitude changes led to fuel exhaustion. However, some think Amelia and Fred might have landed on Gardner Island, 350 nautical miles south of Howland. Supporters of this theory suggest they could have seen the island at low tide, but no evidence of a crash has been found there.
In 1939 or 1940, British Colonial Officer Gerald Gallagher found a campsite and a partial skeleton on Nikumaroro (Gardner Island). Initially thought to be Amelia’s, the skeleton was later identified as a short, stocky male. Years later, the International Group for Historical Aircraft Recovery (Tighar) suggested the bones could belong to a tall woman, matching Amelia’s description.
There are many theories about what happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan, but no definitive proof supports any of them. What we do know is that Amelia was less than 7,000 miles away from becoming the first woman to fly around the world, and her disappearance remains one of aviation history’s greatest mysteries.
Using the information from the article, create a timeline of Amelia Earhart’s journey. Include key dates, locations, and events. This will help you visualize the sequence of events and understand the challenges she faced during her flight.
Draw a world map and plot Amelia Earhart’s flight path. Mark the starting point, refueling stops, and the final known location. This activity will help you understand the vast distances she covered and the geographical challenges of her journey.
In pairs, reenact the radio communications between Amelia Earhart and the Itasca. One of you will play Amelia, and the other will be the radio operator. This will help you understand the difficulties in communication during her final flight.
Research the different theories about Amelia Earhart’s disappearance. Form small groups and debate which theory you find most plausible. This will encourage critical thinking and help you explore the mystery from different perspectives.
Imagine you are Amelia Earhart on her final flight. Write a diary entry describing your thoughts and feelings as you approach Howland Island. This creative writing exercise will help you empathize with her experience and understand the human aspect of her journey.
The “Babe of the Sky” was the nickname given to the beloved Amelia Earhart. Born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas, Amelia became one of the most famous aviation pilots in America, if not the world. She was the first female to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, both as a passenger and later as a solo pilot, among many other accomplishments and records set throughout her legendary life. However, with a legendary life often comes a legendary fall.
In July of 1937, during her second attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe, Amelia Earhart disappeared. Rewind to March 17, 1937, when she made her first attempt to fly around the world, accompanied by navigators Fred Noonan and Harry Manning, a highly skilled radio operator. The trip was short-lived and plagued by troubles from the start. The trio managed to fly from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, but upon attempted takeoff from Hawaii, issues arose that brought the journey to an abrupt halt. When Earhart and Noonan wanted to try again two months later, Manning declined to join, citing the problems from the first attempt.
Nevertheless, Earhart was determined. On May 21, 1937, she and Fred Noonan boarded their twin-engine Lockheed 10-Electra, packed with 1,000 pounds of fuel, and prepared for takeoff. Leaving Oakland, CA, they headed toward Miami, FL. The first few weeks of the journey went smoothly as they stopped to refuel in South America, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. One of these stops took them to Lae, New Guinea, 42 days into their record-setting trip. With 22,000 miles already traversed and only 7,000 to go, they were close to victory as they refueled the Electra.
On the morning of July 2, Earhart and Noonan took their seats in the plane for departure. The plan was to head another 8 hours, or 2,556 miles, toward Howland Island for another refueling stop. Back in New Guinea, Harry Belfour was in charge of radio operations, maintaining hourly transmissions with Earhart and Noonan. Shortly after takeoff, Belfour attempted to warn Earhart about stronger-than-anticipated headwinds, which could affect fuel consumption and flight speed. Earhart failed to respond, and it’s unclear if she received the messages.
Around 2:18 PM, transmissions from Amelia came through, indicating she was flying at a speed of 140 knots at an altitude of 7,000 feet. An hour later, she reported climbing to 10,000 feet, possibly to avoid dense cloud cover. It was assumed that Earhart and Noonan realized the issue with the headwinds and adjusted their flight plan accordingly. However, as time passed, they struggled to communicate with the Itasca, which was waiting for their arrival near Howland Island.
At one point, Earhart transmitted, “Itasca, we must be on you but cannot see you… gas is running low… been unable to reach you by radio… we are flying at 1,000 feet.” The situation had taken a serious turn, and both aviators were aware they were running out of time. At 8:43 AM, Amelia sent her final transmission: “We are on the line 157, 337. We will repeat this on 6210 kilocycles. Wait.” The message was never repeated.
Earhart’s attempt to set a world record turned into a desperate search and rescue mission. The Itasca began searching the waters of the Pacific Ocean around Howland Island. Five days later, they were joined by the U.S. battleship Colorado, and the U.S.S. Lexington also joined the search. The U.S. Navy even flew over nearby Gardner Island, spotting signs of recent inhabitants, but no evidence of the Electra or its pilots was found.
So what happened? The most straightforward answer, believed by many, is that the aircraft simply ran out of fuel. Earhart had indicated in her final communications that gas was low. Despite debates from skeptics about the plane’s fuel capacity, her transmissions suggest otherwise. The Jet Propulsion Center at Cal Tech supports the idea that the headwinds and altitude climb would have led to the Electra running out of fuel at the time of its disappearance.
However, some believe that Earhart and Noonan may have made an emergency landing on Gardner Island, which is located 350 nautical miles south of Howland. Supporters of this theory suggest that they could have spotted the island at low tide. Yet, to this day, there is no definitive evidence of a plane crash on Nikumaroro, the modern name for Gardner Island.
In 1939 or 1940, British Colonial Officer Gerald Gallagher found remnants of a campsite and a partial human skeleton on Nikumaroro. Initially thought to be evidence of Earhart’s presence, the skeleton was later determined to belong to a short, stocky male. However, years later, the International Group for Historical Aircraft Recovery (Tighar) re-evaluated the findings, suggesting that the bones could belong to a tall woman, which fits Earhart’s description.
Ultimately, there are multiple theories regarding what happened to Amelia Earhart and her navigator, and no definitive proof supports any of them. All we know is that Amelia Earhart was less than 7,000 miles away from becoming the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, and that distance remains an enduring mystery for aviation history.
Amelia – Amelia Earhart was a pioneering female aviator known for her flying achievements and mysterious disappearance. – Amelia Earhart inspired many young women to pursue careers in aviation.
Earhart – Earhart refers to Amelia Earhart, the famous aviator who attempted to fly around the world. – Earhart’s legacy continues to influence pilots and adventurers today.
Aviation – Aviation is the design, development, and operation of aircraft. – The history of aviation includes many breakthroughs in technology and exploration.
Flight – Flight is the act of traveling through the air using an aircraft. – The Wright brothers’ first flight marked a significant milestone in aviation history.
Disappear – To disappear means to vanish or become impossible to find. – Amelia Earhart’s plane seemed to disappear without a trace during her world flight attempt.
Journey – A journey is a long trip from one place to another. – Amelia Earhart’s journey to fly around the world was filled with challenges and excitement.
Fuel – Fuel is a material used to produce energy, especially for powering engines. – The plane needed to refuel several times during its long journey across the ocean.
Search – To search means to look carefully for something that is lost or hidden. – The search for Amelia Earhart’s missing plane involved many ships and aircraft.
Mystery – A mystery is something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. – The mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance remains unsolved to this day.
History – History is the study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – The history of aviation is filled with daring pilots and groundbreaking inventions.
