List of missing aircraft

For aircraft that were previously reported as missing but have since been found, see List of previously missing aircraft.

Amelia Earhart's missing modified Lockheed Model 10 Electra
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is officially the flight with the most missing people (239 missing), although remains of the plane have been found in the Indian Ocean.

This list of missing aircraft includes aircraft that have disappeared and whose locations are unknown. According to Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization, an aircraft is considered to be missing "when the official search has been terminated and the wreckage has not been located".[1] However, there still remains a "grey area" on how much wreckage needs to be found for a plane to be declared "recovered". This list does not include every aviator, or even every air passenger that has ever gone missing as these are separate categories.

In the tables below, each missing aircraft is defined (in the Aircraft column) using one or more identifying features. If the aircraft was known by a custom or personalized name (e.g. Pathfinder), that name is presented first (in italics) followed by the aircraft type (in parentheses). The make of aircraft, although not necessarily a unique identifier, is also provided where appropriate. Aircraft registrations began to be used in the early 20th century for individual identification, so this is also included in the later tables (in parentheses).

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
  1. ^ "International Standards And Recommended Practices. Annex 13 To the Convention on International Civil Aviation" (PDF). EMSA. p. 10. Retrieved September 28, 2018.