Theories abound. The words that swirl around the disappearance of Flight 19 evoke images of otherworldliness. The Bermuda Triangle. Alien abduction.

The radio messages from the pilots were sufficiently cryptic to inspire speculation. And, short a Ouji Board or recovery of the planes, no one can know for certain what became of those men.

While the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Historical Association espouses no official position, we are inclined toward the more conventional premise. Pilot Error. A complicated and unusual set of circumstances compounded to cause the deaths of those 14 aviators.

But, you are entitled to your own opinion.

At 1410 hours, the afternoon of 5 December, 1945, U.S. Naval Flight 19, consisting of five TBM Avenger Torpedo Bombers with a total of 14 men aboard, left the Naval Air Station in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on an authorized advanced overwater navigational training flight and disappeared without a trace.

The first hint of trouble came at 1600 hours. An intercepted radio message, believed to be between the leader of Flight 19 and another pilot, indicated that the instructor was uncertain of his position and the direction of the Florida coast. Further, the aircraft seemed to be experiencing compass malfunctions.

The few additional transmissions were inadequate to establish the exact nature of the trouble or the location of the group. Then all radio contact was lost.

Immediately, a PBM Mariner flying boat carrying 13 crewmen and rescue equipment departed from the NAS Banana River Navy base. It's mission - to search for the Avengers. Ten minutes after take-off, the pilot checked in with the tower. And was never heard from again.

Despite numerous attempts, the five Avengers have never been found.

The best source of detailed information is the U.S. Navy. Plus, they have placed the Board of Investigation convened at NAS Miami to inquire into the loss of the 5 TBM Avengers in Flight 19 and the PBM Mariner on a microfilm reel and it is available from their website.

To view the U.S. Navy's information, click below. This will open another browser window. Just close that window when you've finished reading the documents, and you will still be at the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Website.