Searching for Amelia

Ric Gillespie

Amelia Earhart, and her navigator Fred Noonan, were on a round the world flight in 1937 when they disappeared.

On July 2, 1937 Earhart was attempting to fly from New Guinea to Howland Island in the Pacific. She was never heard from again.

Ric Gillespie, a pilot and the author of “Finding Amelia” has devoted thirty years to unraveling the answer to the mystery of what happened to her and Noonan.

In this interview Gillespie puts forth the reasons he believes she landed on Gardner Island (now called Nikumaroro). These include radio transmissions she allegedly sent after landing, a part of the airplane he found, photo’s taken by the British who later colonized the island, and a skeleton that was found.

Gillespie has made a dozen trips to Nikumaroro and lays out his case in methodical detail. If he’s correct, one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th Century has been solved.

He ends the interview by discussing another historic investigation he’s working on.

Mr. Gillespie is the head of TIGHAR which stands for The International Group For Historic Aircraft Recovery. His website is Tighar.org.