This list of missing aircraft includes aircraft that have disappeared and whose locations are unknown. According to Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization, an aircraft is considered to be missing "when the official search has been terminated and the wreckage has not been located". However, there still remains a "grey area" on how much wreckage needs to be found for a plane to be declared "recovered". This list does not include every aviator, or even every air passenger that has ever gone missing as these are separate categories.
In the tables below, each missing aircraft is defined (in the Aircraft column) using one or more identifying features. If the aircraft was known by a custom or personalized name (e.g. Pathfinder), that name is presented first (in italics) followed by the aircraft type (in parentheses). The make of aircraft, although not necessarily a unique identifier, is also provided where appropriate. Aircraft registrations began to be used in the early 20th century for individual identification, so this is also included in the later tables (in parentheses).
Legend
19th century Date Aircraft People missing Type of incident Location (assumed) Remarks Ville de Paris(hot air balloon) 1(Matías Pérez) North Atlantic Ocean The Cuban expression: (meaning "He flew like Matias Perez") has since been known to be used when a person wishes to emphasize the situation of a missing person or object. Pathfinder(hydrogen balloon) 2(John Wise & George Burr) United States The body of George Burr was later recovered from Lake Michigan. Saladin(hydrogen balloon) 1(Walter Powell) Loss of control North Atlantic Ocean Powell was MP for Malmesbury when he disappeared. Peter Campbell Airship, America (demonstration flight) 1(Edward D. Hogan) Mechanical failure North Atlantic Ocean This was one of Professor P. C. [Peter Carmant] Campbell's airships. The pilot was Edward D. Hogan (1852–1889). Örnen (Eagle)(attempted North Pole flight) 3(S. A. Andrée, Knut Frænkel, and Nils Strindberg) Loss of control Arctic Ocean This was part of a failed Swedish effort to reach the North Pole, resulting in the deaths of all three expedition members. While the bodies were later recovered, the balloon (other than some cloth) was never found.
20th century 1901–1919 Date Aircraft People missing Type of incident Location (assumed) Remarks Patrie(semi-rigid airship) 0 Mechanical problem & storm lossAtlantic OceanStranded away from her base on 29 November, torn loose from moorings on 30 November, and last seen by a steamship on 1 December. Pampero(coal gas balloon) 2(Eduardo Newbery & Eduardo Romero) Argentina First Argentines ever to perish in an aircraft accident America(non-rigid airship) 0 Engine failure North Atlantic Ocean Occupants rescued by merchant vessel after abandoning ship Cecil GraceNo. 3(Short S.27) 1(Cecil Grace) North Atlantic Ocean Returning from unsuccessful attempt at Baron de Forest Prize en route from Calais to Dover. Body possibly found on March 14, 1911. Blériot XI 1(Édouard Bague) North Atlantic Ocean Attempted first flight across the Mediterranean Blériot XI 1(Damer Leslie Allen) North Atlantic Ocean Attempted first flight from Wales to Ireland Blériot XI 1(Albert Jewell) North Atlantic Ocean Intended to compete in The New York Times American Aerial Derby. Manuel Rodríguez(Sánchez-Besa biplane) 1(Alejandro Bello Silva) Unknown Chile Bello was undertaking a military training flight to become a pilot. Morane-Saulnier(model unknown) 1(Gustav Hamel) North Atlantic Ocean This plane was en route from Hardelot to Hendon Aerodrome. An unidentified corpse was found on July 6, 1914, that might have been Hamel's. LZ60(Zeppelin) 0 Weather(storm loss) North Atlantic Ocean This Zeppelin was unmanned when it broke free of its mooring and drifted away. Hewitt-Sperry Automatic AirplaneN-9 0 Malfunction North Atlantic Ocean Unmanned test flight, last seen over the Naval Air Station Bay Shore at an altitude of 4,000 feet (1220 m) heading east. Sopwith Camel 1(Mansell Richard James) Unknown United States James was involved in an air race from Boston to New York City. Although wreckage was found, it was never positively identified. Martinsyde(type A Mk.I) 2(Cedric Howell & George H. Fraser) Unknown North Atlantic Ocean These two men were involved in an air race from England to Australia. The airframe & corpse of Cedric Howell (pilot) were eventually recovered.
1920–1939