Nevada Triangle – A Trap in the Mountains
The vast expanse of the American landscape holds secrets and mysteries, some etched into the collective consciousness through tales of unexplained disappearances. While the Bermuda Triangle in the Atlantic Ocean is perhaps the most famous geographical enigma, a similar, less publicized area exists on the western side of the continent. This region, shrouded in speculation and whispered accounts of lost aircraft, is known as the Nevada Triangle. Located within the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains, spanning parts of Nevada and California, this zone has become synonymous with unexplained aviation incidents.
Over the past six decades, an estimated 2,000 aircraft have vanished within the boundaries of the Nevada Triangle. The sheer scale of this figure is amplified by the remoteness of the terrain. The area encompasses over 25,000 square miles of mountainous desert, making search and rescue operations incredibly challenging. Many crash sites remain undiscovered, swallowed by the unforgiving landscape, adding to the mystique surrounding the region.
The geographical boundaries of the Nevada Triangle are typically defined by three points: Las Vegas, Nevada, in the southeast; Fresno, California, in the west; and Reno, Nevada, at its northern apex. Within this triangle lies a tapestry of diverse landscapes, from arid deserts to towering peaks, creating a challenging environment for pilots. Adding to the intrigue is the presence of the highly secretive Area 51, a U.S. Air Force facility that has fueled countless conspiracy theories involving UFOs and extraterrestrial phenomena. The presence of Area 51 has inevitably intertwined with the legends of the Nevada Triangle, adding another layer of speculation to the disappearances.
The mystery deepens when considering the skill and experience of many of the pilots who have vanished within the Nevada Triangle. These were not novice aviators, but seasoned professionals whose expertise should have mitigated the risks of flight. Yet, their aircraft disappeared under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind unanswered questions and fueling speculation about the true nature of the dangers lurking within this geographical area.
One of the most well-known cases of a disappearance within the Nevada Triangle involves the celebrated aviator, sailor, and adventurer Steve Fossett. On September 3, 2007, Fossett took off in a single-engine Bellanca Super Decathlon from a location within Nevada’s Great Basin Desert. He never returned. A month-long search proved fruitless, and Fossett was officially declared dead on February 15, 2008. It wasn’t until September 29th of that year that a hiker stumbled upon Fossett’s identification cards in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. A few days later, the crash site was located approximately 65 miles from Fossett’s initial departure point. Subsequent analysis of recovered bones confirmed they belonged to the missing aviator. The Fossett case highlights the unpredictable nature of flight within the Nevada Triangle, even for experienced pilots.
The history of disappearances in the region stretches back further, including a chilling incident from 1943. A B-24 Liberator bomber crashed in the Sierra Nevada mountains on December 5th. The bomber, piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Willis Turvey and co-piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Robert M. Hester, carried four other crew members: 2nd Lieutenant William Thomas Cronin (navigator), 2nd Lieutenant Ellis H. Fish (bombardier), Sergeant Robert Bursey (engineer), and Sergeant Howard A. Wandtke (radio operator). The flight was a routine night training mission originating from Fresno, California’s Hammer Field, with planned stops in Bakersfield, California, and Tucson before returning.
The following day, a massive search operation was launched, with nine B-24 bombers dispatched to locate the missing aircraft. However, a disturbing turn of events occurred when another bomber disappeared during the search. On the morning of December 6, 1943, Squadron Commander Captain William Darden took off with eight other B-24s. Captain Darden, his aircraft, and the remaining crew were not seen again until 1955, when Huntington Lake reservoir was drained for dam repairs.
The investigation into the loss of the second bomber concluded that Darden had encountered severe wind turbulence and was experiencing a loss of hydraulic pressure. The captain, mistaking a snow-covered frozen lake for a clearing, ordered his crew to bail out, but only two successfully parachuted to safety. The surviving crew members stated that the lake was not frozen, contradicting the initial assessment. When the plane was finally discovered, it rested 190 feet below the water’s surface with the five remaining crew members still at their stations.
Meanwhile, Clinton Hester, the father of Robert Hester, the co-pilot of the first missing plane, embarked on a personal quest to find his son. His relentless search lasted for 14 years, but he died of a heart attack in 1959 without finding any trace of his son or the missing bomber. However, in July 1960, United States Geological Survey researchers working in a remote area of the High Sierra, west of LeConte Canyon in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, discovered airplane wreckage in and near an unnamed lake. Army investigators later confirmed that the wreckage belonged to the first missing bomber, piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Willis Turvey and co-piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Robert M. Hester. The lake is now known as Hester Lake, a poignant reminder of the tragedy.
Another unsettling incident occurred on May 9, 1957, when Air Force Lieutenant David Steeves vanished while piloting a T-33 training jet. The plane disappeared on a flight from Hamilton Air Force Base, near San Francisco, to Arizona. After an exhaustive search yielded no results, the Air Force declared the 23-year-old pilot officially dead. Remarkably, 54 days later, Steeves reappeared, gaunt and dressed in tattered clothing. He had made his way to a camp in Kings Canyon National Park’s backcountry, east of Fresno, California.
Steeves recounted that an explosion occurred within the plane, causing him to briefly lose consciousness. He managed to eject from the aircraft, severely injuring both ankles upon landing. Dragging his parachute for warmth, he crawled over 20 miles through freezing temperatures at an elevation of 12,000 feet for 15 days without food or shelter. He eventually stumbled upon an abandoned National Park Service cabin, where he found some canned food and fishing equipment. He survived by fishing and killing a deer with his pistol. After regaining some strength, he attempted to reach civilization and nearly drowned in the Kings River before encountering a pack-train guide who transported him to safety.
Despite his bravery, Steeves’s story was met with skepticism, fueled by the Cold War paranoia and the inability to locate the wreckage of his plane. It wasn’t until 1977 that Boy Scouts discovered his jet’s canopy, but the plane’s wreckage has never been found, adding another layer of mystery to the Nevada Triangle.
In 1941, Lieutenant Leonard C. Lydon parachuted to safety after his Army fighter squadron became lost over the mountains. His P-40 crashed within a mile of his landing site in the remote Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Despite the proximity, the wreckage has never been recovered. Another notable case is that of Charles Ogle, a wealthy real estate developer who disappeared in August 1964 while flying from Oakland, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada. The Marine Corps-trained pilot was never seen or heard from again, and his plane remains missing. On July 11, 1986, Major Ross Mulhare crashed an F-117 into a mountain near Bakersfield, California. The cause of the crash has never been officially disclosed.
The question remains: what accounts for the disproportionate number of aircraft disappearances within the Nevada Triangle? While conspiracy theories abound, attributing the incidents to the clandestine activities of Area 51, a more rational explanation points to the region’s unique geography and atmospheric conditions. The Sierra Nevada mountains run perpendicular to the Jet Stream, creating volatile and unpredictable winds and downdrafts. This weather phenomenon, known as the "Mountain Wave," can cause planes to be ripped from the air and crash.
Other contributing factors include pilot error, inexperienced pilots encountering unexpected turbulence, and the challenging, disorienting mountain terrain. The combination of these factors creates a dangerous environment for even the most skilled aviators, making the Nevada Triangle a potential trap in the mountains.