LAKE MICHIGAN, USA — After 20 years of searching, a group dedicated to uncovering the wreckage of Northwest Orient Flight 2501, which crashed into Lake Michigan in 1950, has decided to end its search.
The plane, which went down on June 23, 1950, with 58 people aboard, was the deadliest aviation disaster in U.S. history at the time.
The group, led by the Michigan Shipwreck Association (MSRA), used sonar technology and even received support from acclaimed adventure writer Clive Cussler in its search efforts.
The Search and Its Challenges
The search for the wreckage began in 2004 and covered over 700 square miles of the vast waters of Lake Michigan. Despite the group’s relentless efforts, including the use of side-scan sonar and underwater exploration, the wreckage was never found.
Valerie van Heest, the executive director of the Michigan Shipwreck Association, reflected on the emotional toll the search has taken. “It’s a hard thing to have to say because part of me feels like we have failed,” van Heest told. “But we have done so much to keep memory of this accident and these victims at forefront that I feel like we’ve done better for them than if we’d found the wreckage.”
The team believes that the plane broke up into pieces too small for their sonar technology to detect. These fragments, they believe, likely sank into the muck at the bottom of the lake, making recovery impossible.
The Plane’s Tragic History
Northwest Orient Flight 2501, a DC-4 propeller-driven plane, had left LaGuardia Airport in New York on the evening of June 23, 1950, bound for Seattle.
The plane was set to make two stops along the way before disaster struck. As it passed over Lake Michigan, a sudden and violent storm hit, causing the plane to crash.
At the time of the crash, the plane’s crew consisted of Captain Robert C. Lind, Co-pilot Verne F. Wolfe, and Flight Attendant Bonnie Ann Feldman.
The 55 passengers included 27 women, 22 men, and six children. Debris and body parts from the wreckage washed ashore in South Haven, Michigan, following the crash, and authorities were able to confirm that there was no possibility of survival after the impact.
A Decade of Searching
From 2005 to 2013, the MSRA conducted the majority of the search. In addition to searching for the wreckage, the group discovered nine shipwrecks, but unfortunately, not the wreckage of Flight 2501.
The MSRA continued their efforts independently for another 10 years, covering a 600-square-mile grid. They found two unmarked graves where victims’ remains had been buried but still no sign of the wreckage.
Despite these setbacks, the MSRA remained committed to uncovering the truth, with van Heest continuing the mission even after Cussler’s passing in 2020.
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Clive Cussler’s Support
Clive Cussler, the famous author of adventure novels and renowned shipwreck hunter, offered financial support for the search efforts until 2017.
Cussler, known for his own underwater explorations, was passionate about recovering lost ships and planes and had always expressed a desire for the families of the victims to find closure. “I hope someday the families of those lost will have closure,” Cussler wrote in 2018.
Mixed Feelings and Final Thoughts
Despite the lack of a breakthrough, van Heest and her team remain proud of their efforts. “We know this plane hit the water with great force, and we know there was no way to survive this,” van Heest said. “We’ve done everything we can to honor the memory of the passengers, and their stories have been kept alive in ways we could never have imagined.”
Though the search has officially ended, van Heest remains hopeful that the story of Flight 2501 and its victims will continue to inspire future generations.
What Do You Think?
Do you think further advancements in technology might eventually help find the wreckage of Flight 2501, or is it time to accept that it may never be recovered? Share your thoughts in the comments below on RidgecrestPact.org.
