A Boeing 737-200 that disappeared without a trace has been found over a decade later.
Surprisingly, the massive Indian Airlines aircraft, measuring approximately 100 feet in length, vanished from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBIA) in Kolkata, India, without any passengers aboard.
Air India acknowledged that they lost track of this large aircraft back in 2012. It took 13 years to locate the 37-foot-tall plane, which boasts a wingspan of 93 feet.
This situation seems like a scenario straight out of a show like *Lost*—a series centered around the survivors of a plane crash, which ironically took a nosedive in quality after its first two impressive seasons. However, for the airline, this situation was all too real.
Even though I might not be an expert in airfield operations, one would assume that the airline knew the pilot had parked it at Kolkata’s airport—unless, of course, Air India thought perhaps Santa had borrowed it to give his reindeer some time off.
Airport officials were aware of its location, as Air India reportedly received a demand to remove the jet from the airport, accompanied by a hefty parking bill amounting to approximately $115,000.
If you’re thinking that an airport is so large that it could be anywhere, remember we’re not talking about Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) in Illinois, which has the most runways globally, with a total of eight. Kolkata has only two.
Nonetheless, it’s still an enormous airport.
If the sheer size of the plane doesn’t make you wonder, “how on Earth did this go missing?” consider that it would have cost upwards of $1 million.
The plane was initially registered to Indian Airlines, which Air India absorbed in 2007. However, it was leased to the Indian postal service for use as a cargo plane.
Campbell Wilson, the CEO of the company, explained that during this time, the plane was decommissioned and somehow omitted from official records.
Following its rediscovery, Air India sold the aircraft. Regrettably, it won’t take to the skies again but may serve a new purpose for fire training.
Local reports indicate that Bengaluru Airport completed the aircraft’s sale and transfer. The intention is to use it for training maintenance, repair, and overhaul engineers. The plane was seen being loaded onto a tractor trailer for a 1,174-mile journey, approximately the distance between New York City and Miami.