What happened
On October 14, a four-engine aircraft departed Frankfurt-Main Airport at 09:36 local time, traveling toward Lajes. The flight arrived at its destination at 16:03 local time. Following a period of refueling, the aircraft began a second leg of its journey at 18:51, destined for Westover AFB in Massachusetts.
Approximately one hour into this flight, the crew reported experiencing technical difficulties involving the radio altimeters and the radio compass. Due to these malfunctions, the decision was made to divert back to Lajes, where the aircraft landed safely at 20:19 local time. Following the landing, the crew opted to remain in Lajes overnight to comply with required rest and duty time regulations.
The following morning, October 15, the aircraft departed Lajes at 08:43, once again heading toward the United States. However, the flight never reached its destination. After the aircraft failed to arrive as scheduled, search and rescue operations were initiated. Despite these efforts, the search was terminated several days later when no trace of the aircraft or the crew could be located.
Findings
Because no wreckage or debris from the flight was recovered, the specific reason for the disappearance remains undetermined.