The 727 that Vanished: N844AA
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 275
Likes: 1
From: United Kingdom
It is not the first time a 727 has disappeared without trace. This one had a fully qualified crew and was a planned ditching in the atlantic in 1990 due to being low on fuel. It has never been found.
ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-247 OB-1303 Newfoundland, Canada
ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-247 OB-1303 Newfoundland, Canada
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
<<It is not the first time a 727 has disappeared without trace. This one had a fully qualified crew and was a planned ditching in the atlantic in 1990 due to being low on fuel. It has never been found.>>
Very true. What is also strange about this flight is that, not only did the crew have their families on board, there was never a crash investigation or a real concerted effort to find them. There was some debris found but it wasn't certain that it came from the aircraft. Also, as I recall, there was no water survival gear on board.
The plane went down outside Canadian waters and the aircraft position wasn't well known. Since it was outside Canadian waters, the Canadian government did not feel it was up to it to investigate what happened. And because the aircraft was registered in Peru, I'm told it was too expensive and too far from home for them to investigate. Nor did the US investigate. So this is a unique case where, to my knowledge, a large aircraft was lost and there was no serious investigation to learn what happened.
If anybody knows differently, I'd like to know.
Very true. What is also strange about this flight is that, not only did the crew have their families on board, there was never a crash investigation or a real concerted effort to find them. There was some debris found but it wasn't certain that it came from the aircraft. Also, as I recall, there was no water survival gear on board.
The plane went down outside Canadian waters and the aircraft position wasn't well known. Since it was outside Canadian waters, the Canadian government did not feel it was up to it to investigate what happened. And because the aircraft was registered in Peru, I'm told it was too expensive and too far from home for them to investigate. Nor did the US investigate. So this is a unique case where, to my knowledge, a large aircraft was lost and there was no serious investigation to learn what happened.
If anybody knows differently, I'd like to know.
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,584
Likes: 0
From: UK
Janet, the answer is just five posts above yours in the link I included...
Its a bit optimistic I think to assume that wreckage "would" be found from a ditching off Africa. Even if some did wash ashore somewhere the shoreline is so vast it might well never be spotted, let alone recognised. Even less likely reported. There is not necessarily any wreckage at all if the ditching was reasonably controlled, nor much in the way of fuel leakage. There is noting to say it gets washed ashore in Africa if the currents take it in another direction. If it crashed the 727 is all metal and readily identifiable bits don't float like some modern plastic structure. Fuel will disperse and evaporate considerably in 3 days, and anyone naiive enough to imagine you can search the humungous area within the range of that aircraft travelling on an unknown track is simply deluding themselves. It isn't the English Channel!
Its a bit optimistic I think to assume that wreckage "would" be found from a ditching off Africa. Even if some did wash ashore somewhere the shoreline is so vast it might well never be spotted, let alone recognised. Even less likely reported. There is not necessarily any wreckage at all if the ditching was reasonably controlled, nor much in the way of fuel leakage. There is noting to say it gets washed ashore in Africa if the currents take it in another direction. If it crashed the 727 is all metal and readily identifiable bits don't float like some modern plastic structure. Fuel will disperse and evaporate considerably in 3 days, and anyone naiive enough to imagine you can search the humungous area within the range of that aircraft travelling on an unknown track is simply deluding themselves. It isn't the English Channel!
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Germany
On May 25, 2003 a ex American Airlines 727 was stolen from Luanda, Angola:
Boeing 727-223
Registraion: ???
S/N: 20985
Vanished on 25 May 2003 in Luanda, Angola
History: N844AA
According to an article at History of Flight, Aviation, Space Exploration | AirSpaceMag.com the 727 should have been ferried to South Africa on May 26, 2003.
On May 25, 2003 shortly before sunset, the 727 started to taxi, making some erratic movemens and finally took of
with no lights and the ATC transponder switched off. Witnesses reported that the aircraft flew a south west heading shortly after takeoff. That was the last time N844AA had been seen.
Some reports claim that the airplane had been shot down by the Angolian Air Force, or that it crashed into the ocean. Other sources claims that the airplane vanished near Kinshasa or that it has been seen in a hangar Bujumbura.
Could it be possible that the airplane technican who dissapeared together with the 727 tried to flew the airplane to South Africa?
Around June 2003 a 727 registrated 3X-GOM had been seen by Mr. Strother in Conakry. He reported that parts of the former US registration where visible. In fact he said that the last two letters (AA) where visible. But there are a lot of former American Airline 727 in Africa:
727 operated by UTA (Union des Transports Africains)
Boeing 727-223
Registration: 3X-GDO
S/N: 21370
Crashed on 25 December 2003 in Cotonou, Benin.
History: N865AA, YA-FAK, 3D-FAK, 3X-GDO
Boeing 727-223
Registration: 3X-GDM
S/N: 21089
Unknowen status.
History: N862AA, 3X-GDM, 3D-AAK
It turned out that the 727 he saw was not the missing 727.
Boeing 727 wreck in Mali Desert:
Thre are some pictures on the internet showing a buned out 727 wreck in the desert of Mali. According to press releases it has been used to carry drugs from South America to Africa. Well, it is possible to fly with a 727 from South America to Africa with a few stops for refueling. Cotonou airport could be used as a refueling stop for example.
What is intresting about this wreck is the fact that it is heavily destroyed and shows signs of an impact. For example the section 41 is ripped of the fuselage, the landing gear lies next to the fuselage and so on.
According to press releases the airplane was set on fire after the cargo has been unloaded, but it looks like that the airplane had crashed either during landing or during the following takeoff.
Nothing is knowen about the serial number or the current registration of this 727.
Is it possible that this airplane wreck was N844AA?
Now two questions:
- what is knowen about the 727 in the desert of Mali?
- could the 727 in the desert of Mali be the missing N844AA?
Boeing 727-223
Registraion: ???
S/N: 20985
Vanished on 25 May 2003 in Luanda, Angola
History: N844AA
According to an article at History of Flight, Aviation, Space Exploration | AirSpaceMag.com the 727 should have been ferried to South Africa on May 26, 2003.
On May 25, 2003 shortly before sunset, the 727 started to taxi, making some erratic movemens and finally took of
with no lights and the ATC transponder switched off. Witnesses reported that the aircraft flew a south west heading shortly after takeoff. That was the last time N844AA had been seen.
Some reports claim that the airplane had been shot down by the Angolian Air Force, or that it crashed into the ocean. Other sources claims that the airplane vanished near Kinshasa or that it has been seen in a hangar Bujumbura.
Could it be possible that the airplane technican who dissapeared together with the 727 tried to flew the airplane to South Africa?
Around June 2003 a 727 registrated 3X-GOM had been seen by Mr. Strother in Conakry. He reported that parts of the former US registration where visible. In fact he said that the last two letters (AA) where visible. But there are a lot of former American Airline 727 in Africa:
727 operated by UTA (Union des Transports Africains)
Boeing 727-223
Registration: 3X-GDO
S/N: 21370
Crashed on 25 December 2003 in Cotonou, Benin.
History: N865AA, YA-FAK, 3D-FAK, 3X-GDO
Boeing 727-223
Registration: 3X-GDM
S/N: 21089
Unknowen status.
History: N862AA, 3X-GDM, 3D-AAK
It turned out that the 727 he saw was not the missing 727.
Boeing 727 wreck in Mali Desert:
Thre are some pictures on the internet showing a buned out 727 wreck in the desert of Mali. According to press releases it has been used to carry drugs from South America to Africa. Well, it is possible to fly with a 727 from South America to Africa with a few stops for refueling. Cotonou airport could be used as a refueling stop for example.
What is intresting about this wreck is the fact that it is heavily destroyed and shows signs of an impact. For example the section 41 is ripped of the fuselage, the landing gear lies next to the fuselage and so on.
According to press releases the airplane was set on fire after the cargo has been unloaded, but it looks like that the airplane had crashed either during landing or during the following takeoff.
Nothing is knowen about the serial number or the current registration of this 727.
Is it possible that this airplane wreck was N844AA?
Now two questions:
- what is knowen about the 727 in the desert of Mali?
- could the 727 in the desert of Mali be the missing N844AA?
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 958
Likes: 55
From: Surrey, UK
s/n 21619 wasn't it? mystery jet update: Malian 727 | The Yorkshire Ranter
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Sydney
The whole thing smacks to me as insurance fraud.
Tim - was it clear from your reporting that Maury Jospeh actually received an insurance payout? It seemed he must have, if General Robeson thought it was a viable theory. But the interaction between Joesph and his insurers must have been interesting.
Tim - was it clear from your reporting that Maury Jospeh actually received an insurance payout? It seemed he must have, if General Robeson thought it was a viable theory. But the interaction between Joesph and his insurers must have been interesting.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
The whole thing smacks to me as insurance fraud.
Maury and his son both say no insurance money was ever paid. Maury told me that he was caught in a Catch-22: in order to file a claim he had to prove the airplane was stolen and without the airplane, he couldn't prove that it was.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
<<http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rhinocg/rhino-rig-for-dslr-and-cinema-cameras>>
The airplane is J5-GCU. If you Google that with Mali you'll have almost everything I have.
Also, I think the Yorkshire Ranter has a pretty good summation.
The airplane is J5-GCU. If you Google that with Mali you'll have almost everything I have.
Also, I think the Yorkshire Ranter has a pretty good summation.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
FOIAs and the Angolans
<<Tim,
You mentioned in your article that you requested FBI records as part of FOIA. Did they ever reply? >>
...yes, they did but it was years after I filed the request. I got thousands of pages, many heavily redacted.
<<Do you know if there was any report from DNIC (Direccao Nacional de Investigacao Criminal?>>
...I heard a report was written but I never found a copy of it. When I contacted the Angolan CAA, the man who "knew everything" hung up on me as soon as I told him I was looking into the aircraft.
You mentioned in your article that you requested FBI records as part of FOIA. Did they ever reply? >>
...yes, they did but it was years after I filed the request. I got thousands of pages, many heavily redacted.
<<Do you know if there was any report from DNIC (Direccao Nacional de Investigacao Criminal?>>
...I heard a report was written but I never found a copy of it. When I contacted the Angolan CAA, the man who "knew everything" hung up on me as soon as I told him I was looking into the aircraft.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
FOIAs and the Angolans
Jo, sorry for the late reply. Didn't know it was here.
The FBI documents were interesting but about the only thing they revealed is that the FBI didn't know aviation and that there was a turf battle between them and the State Dept. They looked for the airplane with enthusiasm only for a few months. Then the search pretty much faded out. Based on what I have read, I found a few things they missed.
The FBI documents were interesting but about the only thing they revealed is that the FBI didn't know aviation and that there was a turf battle between them and the State Dept. They looked for the airplane with enthusiasm only for a few months. Then the search pretty much faded out. Based on what I have read, I found a few things they missed.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
Vanishing Airliners: a followup to the theft of N844AA
Air & Space magazine has just published a followup to the theft of N844AA. The new story looks at how large aircraft have been able to disappear without drawing headlines. It also discusses a new Air Force intelligence agency that focuses on civilian aviation all over the world.
History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Air & Space Magazine
History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Air & Space Magazine
Joined: Aug 2025
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: NYC
Hello Tim and all other people reading.
The last post is more than 10 years old, but I am still intrigued with this case. In fact, I just today listened to a podcast from 2018 I believe where an interview with you, Tim, was featured. It was an interesting listen.
however I have a question to you: in the podcast you said there was a third person involved in the theft. You said you know the persons name and even whereabouts, but when asked to talk about it you said no.
why? When did you discover that a third person was actually involved, and why didn’t you come forward with it except of talking about it in an interview that got 1000 views on YouTube, why not publish the news? Or, why are you protecting that person? Why bother even mentioning it then?
this case seems very confusing and to be honest some of your investigation does so too.
No offense, just pure interest
The last post is more than 10 years old, but I am still intrigued with this case. In fact, I just today listened to a podcast from 2018 I believe where an interview with you, Tim, was featured. It was an interesting listen.
however I have a question to you: in the podcast you said there was a third person involved in the theft. You said you know the persons name and even whereabouts, but when asked to talk about it you said no.
why? When did you discover that a third person was actually involved, and why didn’t you come forward with it except of talking about it in an interview that got 1000 views on YouTube, why not publish the news? Or, why are you protecting that person? Why bother even mentioning it then?
this case seems very confusing and to be honest some of your investigation does so too.
No offense, just pure interest
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
The reason I mentioned the mystery man is simple: shaking the tree. I was looking for someone to say, 'yeah, ole whatz-his-face is at XYZ now.' Or, even better, 'hello mate. I hear you're looking for me.' Which has happened in other investigations.