Planes have gone missing on multiple occasions. In 2016 specifically, there was an investigation for a large plane gone missing, and two smaller planes. Besides the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 that went missing in 2014, two more planes that went missing in 2016 were Indian Air Force Antonov AN-32 and the Cessna.
The Indian Air Force Antonov AN-32 went missing around 9:12 a.m. on July 22. According to the radar, the plane was heading to Port Blair until it suddenly veered to the left and began a descent. After that, radars could no longer track the plane, which was carrying 29 people. Prior to the plane’s takeoff, new additions were added to the aircraft, such as an overhaul to replace equipment and other means of modernization that were applied to aircrafts of the same fleet. The investigators came to the conclusion that a technical failure was most likely the cause of the plane’s disappearance.
The Cessna went missing on Dec. 29 and departed from Cleveland, Ohio. The plane held six people, including three adults and three children, all headed to the Cavaliers’ game. The plane is believed to have crashed in Lake Erie. After nearly a week of investigation, the search has been turned over to the city of Cleveland with the assistance of the Coast Guard. The passengers on board both missing flights are presumed deceased.
Despite there being a probable explanation for the loss of the AN-32, the reasoning and whereabouts of the Cessna and MH370 remain a mystery. Commercial flights like the MH370 rarely go missing because of the large number of people on board air traffic controllers use two radars to track most planes.
The first radar uses signals to analyze the plane’s position. The second radar uses information sent from a plane by using a transponder. A transponder receives radio signals and transmits different signals.
In addition, each plane has a black box located somewhere in the aircraft. The black box is an electronic recording device specifically created to aid the investigation of any incidents that may occur. In referral to flight MH370, during a search in the Indian Ocean, the plane’s black box was located; however, the box didn’t provide enough intel to locate the plane or give investigators any sort of lead.
Planes have been going missing since the 1800s, such as the Ville de Paris that went missing on Dec. 28, 1856. Other missing planes from that time include the Pathfinder that went missing on Sept. 28, 1879, the Saladin that went missing on Dec. 10, 1881 and the Campbell Dirigicycle that went missing on Jul.16, 1889. With these incidents continuing to occur, and technology continuing to grow, it’s only a matter of time before adjustments are made to avoid the loss of more planes and people.