Missing Plane MH370 And 7 Other Aviation Mysteries

Flight MH370 And 7 Other Aviation Mysteries
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But exactly what happened to the aircraft remains unknown. Did it fly on after contact was lost? How was it not picked up by radar systems? Did it actually land and continue to send data?

MH370 is far from the first aviation mystery to have people stumped, here are 10 others that could perhaps shed light on what happened...

7 Aviation Disasters
Mathias Rust (01 of07)
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In 1987 Mathias Rust flew from Finland to Moscow to create an "imaginary bridge" between the east and the west. Although he may have failed to quell Cold War tensions, he did expose how easy it was to fly through a seemingly impregnable air defence system. (credit:Wikipedia )
Amelia Earhart(02 of07)
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Amelia Earhart was a pioneer in aviation setting multiple records for long-range solo flights. During an attempt to fly around the world in 1937 with Fred Noonan, Earhart disappeared over the Pacific. Their remains were never found although a company now think they have pinpointed the wreck of the plane on Nikumaroro island and will launch a mission this year. (credit:AP)
Air France Flight 447(03 of07)
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Probably the case with the most similarities to MH370, Air France Flight 447 was flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris in 2009 when it disappeared. Five days later wreckage was spotted in the Atlantic Ocean but it was almost two years before the plane's black boxes were found and the cause of the crash established. A report concluded that the autopilot disconnected due to pressure measurement instrument being obstructed with ice. This eventually led to the plane stalling. (credit:AP)
EgyptAir Flight 990(04 of07)
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One of the theories being touted about MH370 is that it was deliberately ditched into the sea by the pilot. This is not unprecedented. In 1999, co-pilot Gameel el-Batouty flew EgyptAir Flight 990 into the sea apparently as revenge against a company exec on board who had reprimanded him for sexual misconduct. (credit:Getty Images)
Andes Air Disaster(05 of07)
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Immortalised in the 1993 film, 'Alive', Flight 571 was carrying 45 people, including a rugby union team, from Uruguay to Santiago. Lost in low cloud it crashed into a mountain. After 72 days stranded on the mountain 16 survivors were rescued but their ordeal was not over as public disquiet emerged after they admitted to cannibalism in order to survive. (credit:Wikipedia)
Trans World Airlines flight 800(06 of07)
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On 17 July 1996, Trans World Airlines flight 800 left JFK airport in New York and then exploded with the death of all 230 souls on board. The cause of the crash was determined as an electrical short circuit that sparked an explosion in one of the fuel tanks. This didn't stop a number of conspiracy theories from taking root, including that a US missile test had brought it down. (credit:Getty Images)
Steve Fossett(07 of07)
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All-round adventurer, Steve Fossett set out solo in his plane on 3 September, 2007 over the Great Basin Desert in Nevada. He was reported missing when he failed to return but it wasn't until nearly a year later that a hiker discovered his ID cards which eventually led to the crash site being discovered. (credit:Getty Images)