8 fatalities

Unexplained disappearance of maritime patrol aircraft over Pacific Ocean (152155)

Pacific Ocean, WorldFlight

On May 26, 1972, a Lockheed P-3 Orion (registration 152155) operated by United States Navy - USN was involved in an aviation accident near Pacific Ocean, World in flight. 8 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the disappearance remains undetermined because no wreckage or traces of the aircraft were recovered. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A maritime patrol aircraft and its eight occupants disappeared during a flight over the Pacific Ocean, with no wreckage or survivors located.

What happened

During a scheduled mission involving maritime surveillance, an aircraft vanished while operating over the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The vessel was performing patrol duties when it ceased all communication and contact with ground stations. Following the disappearance, an extensive search was conducted; however, investigators were unable to locate any debris, wreckage, or evidence of the impact site.

No information has been recovered regarding the specific location of the crash or the final moments of the flight. The search efforts yielded no traces of the plane or its crew members. All eight occupants on board are currently unaccounted for following the event.

Findings

The exact circumstances surrounding the loss of the aircraft remain unknown due to the total absence of physical evidence or wreckage from the flight path.

Probable cause

The cause of the disappearance remains undetermined because no wreckage or traces of the aircraft were recovered.