The Daring and Mysterious Life of Amelia Earhart

Amelia and Fred took off from Lae the morning of July 2, aiming for Howland Island. The flight would be nearly 20 hours over open ocean, with no landmarks to guide them. Weather reports warned of clouds and crosswinds, but they pressed on, trusting their skills and careful planning to succeed.

As they flew, radio operators tracked their signals. Amelia reported good progress at first, but hours later her messages grew worried. Reception faded, and it became clear they were having trouble finding the island. Everyone listening sensed something was going wrong out there in the empty Pacific sky.