According to the FBI description, the aircraft was unpainted silver in colour with a stripe of blue-white-red and was formerly in the air fleet of a major airline, but all of the passenger seats have been removed to be outfitted for carrying diesel fuel. Star Ariel and Star Tiger Intended for short-haul routes, the 727 is capable of operating out of restricted length runways and smaller airports. The Boeing 727 in question was on lease to TAAG Angola Airlines, and it had been grounded for a period of 14 months. Padilla’s siblings added another twist here, that Padilla had said that if he was ever kidnapped, he would crash the plane into the ground or water. In May 2003, two men who didn’t know how to fly a Boeing 727-223 stole one from an Angolan airport. Irwin and the air crew hit snags, with their local partners first confiscating their passports. Since Padilla had had access to the plane, it is likely he had let someone else in unnoticed. A fuel-loaded plane would be a disaster, and agencies across the world went on high alert searching for any glimpse of it. It had accrued over $4 million in airport fees alone and the leasee, TAAG Angola Airlines, didn’t look like they were ever going to pay. 7. Aerospace’s owner, Maury Joseph, had found a buyer for the plane’s three engines in Johannesburg. To get daily short stories, history bites and mystery updates, like us on. It has a capacity of 149 to 189 passengers and a range of 2,400 to 2,700 nautical miles (4,400 to 5,000 km), depending on variant. United Airlines wanted a four-engined aircraft for its flights to high-altitude airports, especially its hub at Stapleton International Airport at Denver, Colorado. They sneaked out to Johannesburg, leaving only Gabriel in Luanda. Its last owner was reported to be Miami-based company Aerospace Sales & Leasing. The Twin Tragedy Of Hamilton – An Eerie Coincidence, The Riddle Of Flight 19: They Vanished Without Any Trace, Space Object That Entered Solar System In 2017 Was ‘Alien Junk’, Claims Harvard Professor, The First SAR Imagery Satellite That Can Peer Through Inside Buildings, Day or Night. The aircraft had been destroyed in an accident in Lagos. However, international aviation data is not that easy to keep track of and the burnt-out Boeing had been able to masquerade as the perfectly respectable HZ-SNE for at least one flight. They have never been found, and neither has the plane. Or at least, it should be impossible to fly undetected or even hide once it lands. That might explain the particular interest investigators had with Nigeria. On December 5, 1960, the 727 was launched with 40 orders each from United Airlines and Eastern Air Lines. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The ruse was simple. Even after this, the lack of necessary documentation for its conversion to a cargo plane was lacking. A massive search was conducted by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), but not a single clue has since been found. In his defense about that claim, Joseph has always claimed he could not be paid because he couldn’t prove his plane was stolen. In 2003, a Boeing 727 was stolen from an Angola airport. Ben was an American pilot and flight engineer whereas John was a hired mechanic from the Republic of the Congo, and both had been working with Angolan mechanics. It should be impossible to steal. With the lights off, the aircraft flew, heading southwest over the Atlantic Ocean never to be seen again, neither the two men have been found. Faced with this new allegation of fraud, he offered himself up to the FBI for a lie-detector test. On Dec. 5, 1960, Boeing announced the three-engine 727, with 40 orders each from launch customers United Airlines and Eastern Air Lines. They have never been found, and neither has the plane. Numerous leaked reports say that the United States’ authorities secretly searched for the aircraft in multiple countries after the event with no result. Post by beco » 19 Jun 2003, 19:12. Sometime around sunset, on the 25 th of May 2003, a Boeing 727 taxied on to the runway at the Quatro Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola. One theory here is that Joseph got Padilla to steal it as part of an elaborate insurance fraud. On May 25, 2003 at Quatro de Feveriro International Airport in Angol, shortly before sunset on a clear day, Ben Charles Padilla was seen boarding a Boeing 727 that he had previously been hired to work on. Read More. But none of them was certified to fly a Boeing 727, which normally requires three aircrews. Now, the plane was all alone in a land miles away from home, abandoned. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. There are fears that terrorist have taken control of the aircraft. At 47 meters long and 10 meters wide, the Boeing 727-223 is a massive plane in a heavily regulated sector. Then Joseph fired Gabriel for failing at his task. Doomed UTA Flight 141 May Have Been Stolen Angolan Boeing 727 Naharnet Online ^ | 12-31-03 Posted on 01/01/2004 2:18:07 AM PST by L`enn. Once airborne, it flew towards the Atlantic Ocean, and disappeared forever. A ground search was also conducted by diplomats stationed in Nigeria at multiple airports without finding it. On that day, two men boarded the flight. Have You Ever Been to a Private Hospital. Boeing 727 stolen ? The real HZ-SNE was a Boeing 727-200, serial number 22644, which had been operated by DHL. TIL A Boeing 727 aircraft was stolen out of an airport in 2003. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with … The aircraft was a Boeing 727, registration N844AA, and it has not been seen in 13 years, despite a worldwide search by US security forces. The plane has not been seen for four weeks. u/Johnmarmalade. Some reports suggest there was only one person on board the aircraft at the time, where some suggest there may have been more than one. The 727 design arose as a compromise between United Airlines, American Airlines, and Eastern Air Lines requirements over the configuration of a jet airliner to service smaller cities which often had shorter runways and correspondingly smaller passenger demand. Neither the plane, nor the two men aboard were ever found. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. As of yet to be found...Now someone explain to me how in the $%@# you steal a 727?. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Neither the plane, nor the two men aboard were ever found. One of them was Ben C. Padilla, an American pilot and flight engineer. Dan Cooper is the pseudonym of an unidentified man who hijacked a So the plane’s owner, Miami-based Aerospace Sales & Leasing, sent Padilla to Angola to repair the plane and fly it to Johannesburg. The Boeing 727 is a narrow-body airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Boeing was also still grappling with the startup and production costs of the 707. Tsunami Spirits: The Restless Spirits And Phantom Taxi Passengers Of Japan’s Disaster Zone. All three crew members survived. Archived. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. During this time it had accrued around $4 million in backdated airport fees. In May 2003, two men who didn’t know how to fly a Boeing 727-223 stole one from an Angolan airport. quicklist: 1 title: 727 Stolen From Angola Airport (2003) text: A Boeing 727 took off from Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda, Angola, without clearance or a … The flight was scheduled for May 26th. Categories Uncategorized Tags 727, airplane, angolan, boeing, facts Leave a comment Post navigation. On 25 May 2003, a Boeing 727-220, registered N844AA, was stolen at Quatro de Fevereiro Airport, Luanda, Angola. December 30, 2015. TIL A Boeing 727 aircraft was stolen out of an airport in 2003. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 6 years ago. It manoeuvred erratically and entered a runway without clearance. The flight was scheduled for May 26, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), At Garissa University, the Covenant was Broken, The Rise and Fall of the State House Boys, The First Computers in East Africa –and what became of them, 6 Assassinations of African leaders (that were caught on film), 7 Bizarre Flexes by Rich and Powerful Africans, New Moscow: The Rise, and Quick Fall of Russia’s colonial experiment. Originally owned by American Airlines, when the 727 was the world's best selling passenger jet, the plane was subsequently leased and subleased by a number of people and companies. Famous guests included Donald Trump So the plane sat at the airport, depreciating in value and accumulating fees of all kinds. There are numerous theories on what happened to the aircraft Boeing 727-223 (N844AA). Posted by. Some thought it was arranged to be stolen by Maury Joseph in order to collect the insurance money. The tower officers tried to make contact, but there was no response. These cookies do not store any personal information. ... [ARCHIVED THREAD] - 17 years ago, a Boeing 727 was stolen, it has never been found (Page 3 of 3) ARCHIVED; It wasn’t a particularly exciting aircraft, in fact it was barely airworthy. The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body three-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In May 2003, two men who didn’t know how to fly a Boeing 727-223 stole one from an Angolan airport. The strange mystery of the missing Boeing 727-223 that disappeared from Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport in Angol. They suggested he and Mutantu may have been forced to steal the plane, and then killed. Neither the plane, nor the two men aboard were ever found. There was some context here; in the mid-1990s Joseph had been charged with fraud and was even banned from heading any company with shareholders. TIL A Boeing 727 aircraft was stolen out of an airport in 2003. On 25 May 2003, a Boeing 727-223 aircraft, registered N844AA, took off from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola. It hadn’t been cleared for a flight, it didn’t communicate with the tower, its lights and transponder were off. 2.5k. Features. African Aviation - The 727 that Vanished: N844AA - On May 25, 2003 a ex American Airlines 727 was stolen from Luanda, Angola: Boeing 727-223 In July 2003 a possible sighting of the missing aircraft was reported in Conakry, Guinea, but this has been conclusively dismissed by the United States Department of State. No trace of the aircraft has since been found. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The other, John M. Mutantu, was a hired mechanic from the Republic of the Congo. Jeffery Epstein was the owner of a Boeing 727 Private Jet. Toumaï: Our Earliest Relative Who Left Questions To Us Around 7 Million Years Ago! It should be impossible to steal. On May 25, 2003, a Boeing 727-223 aircraft, registered as N844AA, was stolen from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport, Luanda, Angola, and abruptly disappeared above the Atlantic ocean. The aircraft had not moved for 14 months, but suddenly the aircraft took off into the African skies. This one is plausible because a Boeing 727-223 requires a three-person properly-trained crew to fly. Please note that if you are under 18, you won't be able to access this site. For an entire month, Padilla worked on the ground with Air Gemini, a contract company, to make the plane airworthy again. TIL A Boeing 727 aircraft was stolen out of an airport in 2003. At no point had it even made an attempt to communicate with the control tower or even switch on its lights. It was grounded because Irwin and his partners had not obtained proper landing permits. Boeing 727 stolen and never found again – WTF fun facts. 2.5k. Part of the fear was that when Joseph had leased the plane in Miami, to a South African called Keith Irwin, he had stripped it of all its passenger seats. A Boeing 727 was stolen from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport, Luanda, Angola on 25 May 2003. On May 25th, 2003, a Boeing 727 was stolen from Quatro de Fevere... Today, we're covering how a massive Boeing 727 airliner was stolen and has never been found. Leaked US diplomatic cables show Nigeria was of particular interest in the search, but nothing ever panned out. The jet can accomodate 29 passengers. All the authorities including small and big aviation organisations, news communities and the private investigators were unable to draw any conclusions on the whereabouts or fate of the aircraft, despite research and interviews with individuals knowledgeable of details surrounding the disappearance. Mutantu was a Congolese aircraft mechanic on a short-term contract. FIFTEEN years ago, a Boeing 727 plane disappeared amid very strange circumstances, shocking the world and sparking a massive search effort. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! And while it’s been 5 years since the disappearance of MH370, there’s another plane that’s been missing for the past 16 years. This aircraft was stolen...yes, stolen...from Luanda, Angola on May 25, 2003. Enter your email address below to subscribe to our newsletter. Padilla’s family believe that there was someone on the aircraft waiting in ambush for Padilla and his helper, and that they were killed or held hostage. 6 years ago. African hunt for stolen Boeing. At 47 meters long and 10 meters wide, the Boeing 727-223 is a massive plane in a heavily regulated sector. There were two reported sightings in Guinea, both disputed, and others in Seychelles and Nigeria. The aircraft began taxiing without communicating with the control tower. The doomed UTA Flight 141 may have been a Boeing 727 that was stolen from Luanda airport in Angola in May, or a U.S.-registered aircraft that had undergone an exterior makeover at Beirut International Airport, where its technical … Archived. 727 Stolen. For 14 months, the plane had been grounded at the airport due to multiple paperwork problems. Its disappearance prompted a worldwide search by the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). So the plane had also been fitted with tanks. Stolen Boeing 727-223 Angola Plane. The first 727-100 rolled out November 27, 1962, first flew on February 9, 1963, and entered service with Eastern on February 1, 1964. He was a freelance aircraft mechanic and freelance engineer who had flown with Joseph to Nigeria in November 2002 to deliver another 727. Irwin wanted to use the jet to fly diesel to far off diamond mines in Angola, because road networks were impassable because of the ongoing civil war. It took off without clearance and flew out over the Atlantic with its lights and transponder switched off and was never seen again! Ben Padilla’s family suspected that Ben was flying the aircraft and feared that he subsequently crashed somewhere in Africa or was being held against his will. 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