The Last American Departure of Amelia Earhart

On June 1, 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, lifted off from Miami to continue their second attempt at flying around the world along the equator.

Their aircraft, a twin-engine Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, carried them westward on what was planned as a 29,000-mile journey. Miami marked one of the most publicized departures of the entire project, drawing crowds who understood they were watching a historic moment unfold.

The flight had already faced setbacks, including damage to the aircraft during the first attempt earlier that year. Even so, Earhart remained determined to complete what she hoped would be her final major aviation achievement.

From Miami, the route would lead them through the Caribbean, South America, and across the Atlantic to Africa, then eastward toward the Pacific.

A month later, during the leg between New Guinea and Howland Island, radio contact faded and the Electra vanished. Despite one of the most extensive search efforts of the era, neither the plane nor the crew was found.

The Miami departure remains a defining moment in the story of aviation’s most enduring mystery.