Pilot Claims Discovery of Amelia Earhart’s Missing Plane
A private pilot says satellite imagery revealed what could be wreckage from Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10E. Justin Myers, a pilot with about 25 years of flying experience, began searching after watching a television documentary. He used Google Earth to inspect Nikumaroro Island and found features he believes match parts of the Electra.
What Myers found on Google Earth
Myers identified a long sandy feature and a straight, dark object near it. He used Google Earth’s measurement tool and recorded lengths that closely matched Electra components.
One sandy section measured more than 50 feet. A parallel dark object measured about 39 feet, consistent with the Electra’s roughly 12-meter fuselage. He also reported what looked like a partially exposed radial engine and other debris.
Context on Nikumaroro and earlier finds
Nikumaroro has long been a candidate site in Earhart research. Previous on-site searches recovered artifacts.
- Improvised tools and clothing fragments.
- An aluminum panel.
- A piece of Plexiglas with width and curvature matching an Electra window.
Outreach and responses
Myers documented his observations in a blog post. He then contacted investigative bodies and researchers.
The NTSB directed him to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Myers filed an official report with an air crash investigation team in Brisbane.
He also reached out to a California expedition company and to Purdue University. Those contacts produced little or no follow-up.
Purdue and other planned work
Purdue has announced an expedition for summer 2025 to investigate a separate anomaly known as the Taraia Object. That project aims to examine another potential Electra candidate.
Previous claims and cautionary examples
Many people have claimed to find Earhart’s plane. Past leads often produced controversy and conflicting conclusions.
In 2024, Deep Sea Vision used underwater drones to capture shapes that resembled the Electra’s twin tails. The operator, Tony Romeo, initially expressed confidence. Later investigation concluded the feature was an ordinary rock formation.
Myers’ position and limits
Myers says his measurements suggest a two-engine vintage aircraft once rested on the reef. He cites dimensions matching the Lockheed Electra 10E NR16020.
He does not assert definitive proof that the wreckage belonged to Earhart and Fred Noonan. He says confirmation will require an expedition and hands-on examination.
Why further work matters
If the site proves to be Earhart’s Electra, it would resolve a near-century-old disappearance. If it belongs to another aircraft, it could still close a different mystery.
Myers also noted timing matters. Weather and shifting sand temporarily revealed the features he photographed.
Funding and logistical support will determine whether a search team can verify the images. The broader recovery community has seen disputes and legal fights before.
This report was prepared in collaboration with Filmogaz.com. The pilot’s claims remain unproven until experts can perform an on-site investigation.
