How do airplanes disappear from radar? The shocking truth behind missing flights
On July 24, 2025, a Russian An‑24 passenger aircraft carrying nearly 50 people disappeared from radar screens while approaching the remote city of Tynda in the Amur region. Wreckage was later discovered in dense forest, highlighting aviation's longstanding challenge aircraft vanishing from radar is still relevant today as reported by ABC News.
Aviation experts say such incidents underscore the limitations of radar and satellite tracking systems, and the importance of understanding how planes can still vanish.
How radar works in aviation and why it fails sometimes
Commercial aviation relies on two primary systems: primary surveillance radar (PSR) and secondary surveillance radar (SSR).
PSR detects any object by bouncing radio waves off it, but only shows position, not identity or altitude.
SSR relies on the aircraft's transponder, which actively returns data such as flight number, altitude, and speed.
'If a transponder fails or is deliberately turned off, secondary radar essentially stops seeing the aircraft,' explains Prof. Igor Petrov, an aviation systems expert at Moscow's Civil Aviation Institute. 'Primary radar might still detect the plane as a blip, but with limited accuracy especially in remote regions or at low altitude.'
Why
airplanes disappear from radar
According to
flightradar24
reports, below can be the most possible reason of airplanes disappearing from radar:
Source: iStock
Transponder failure or manual shut-off
Air traffic controllers primarily use secondary surveillance radar (SSR), which depends on an aircraft's transponder to send information like altitude, flight number, and speed.
Failure
: Electrical problems or system malfunctions can cause the transponder to stop transmitting.
Intentional shut-off
: In rare cases, pilots may disable transponders intentionally (e.g., during emergencies, security incidents, or in extremely rare deliberate acts like the MH370 case). When this happens, air traffic controllers see only a 'blip' on primary radar, with no identifying details, making tracking more difficult.
Radar coverage gaps
Radar relies on line-of-sight transmission. The curvature of the Earth and geographical barriers limit how far radar can see.
Oceanic regions: Most over-ocean flights move beyond ground radar coverage within a few hundred miles of shorelines.
Mountainous and remote areas: High terrain or isolated airspace can block radar signals or leave coverage voids. Although satellite-based ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) is improving coverage, blind spots still exist globally.
Severe weather and terrain interference
Radar signals can be disrupted by environmental conditions:
Thunderstorms and heavy rain: Precipitation can scatter or weaken radar signals, causing intermittent or lost contact.
Mountain ranges: Large landforms can physically block radar beams, creating 'shadows' where aircraft temporarily vanish. These interruptions are usually short-lived but can complicate monitoring during critical flight phases like takeoff, landing, or navigation near rough terrain.
Technical glitches in radar systems
Like any technology, radar infrastructure is susceptible to failures:
Ground system outages: Electrical or software issues at air traffic control centers can temporarily disable tracking.
Signal interference: Radio frequency conflicts or jamming can distort radar signals.
These are rare but not impossible, and most aviation authorities have backup systems and protocols to minimize risk.
MH370's 2014 disappearance still unsolved as 2025 search pauses
The world is still haunted by the 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which went off civilian radar about 38 minutes after takeoff. Despite one of the largest search operations in history, its main wreckage remains unfound.
In February 2025, the deep-sea exploration firm Ocean Infinity launched a new search using advanced autonomous drones, but the effort was paused due to seasonal weather as reported by New York Post.
'These incidents show that losing a plane on radar is not necessarily rare—it's just usually resolved quickly,' said John Cox, a former airline captain and CEO of Safety Operating Systems, in an interview with ABC News. 'But when you combine transponder loss, remote airspace, and poor weather, it becomes a nightmare for search and rescue.'
Also Read |
9 offbeat monsoon destinations in India you've probably never heard of
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
California plane crash: Two passengers found, one remains missing near Monterey
A private plane crashed off the coast of Northern California on Saturday, July 26. As per Newsweek, two of the three individuals on board have been found unconscious. One person remains missing. The Beech 95-B55 Baron aircraft had crashed in the ocean near Sunset Drive and Jewell Avenue in Pacific Grove at 10:40 pm local time on Saturday, as per flight radar data shared with KSBW. The private plane crashed around 10:40 pm local time.(Representative image/Unsplash) Also read: Southwest flight dives to avoid collision in California, passengers 'screaming', 2 crew hurt Monterey plane crash: What happened? The private plane left San Carlos Airport soon after 10 pm. It was set to land at the Monterey Regional Airport. The Beech 95-B55 plane was last seen near Monterey at 10:37 pm. The flight, labeled N8796R, had traveled almost 70 miles before it reportedly crashed about 200 to 300 feet off Point Pinos Lighthouse, a popular landmark. Witnesses claimed they heard the sound of an aircraft engine revving, as per CAL FIRE. The sound was followed by a splash in the ocean. A multi-agency response was initiated post the Monterey plane crash, with Pacific Grove Police, Monterey County Sheriff's Office, the Coast Guard, and CAL FIRE taking part. A helicopter and lifeboats were deployed minutes after the crash to search for the debris. The Beechcraft twin-engine aircraft has been found, United States Coast Guard (USCG) Petty Officer Ryan Graves told Newsweek. He added that multiple agencies are still searching the waters off Pacific Grove, near Monterey, on Sunday. The identities of the people on board have not been revealed. Also read: Russian plane with nearly 50 on board crashes in eastern Amur region, all feared dead Beech 95-B55 Crash to be investigated As per a People report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will investigate the crash. The NTSB will also review the debris that washed ashore. The Monterey plane crash has drawn attention to private aircraft operations along California's coastline. There have been safety concerns associated with these operations, Newsweek reported. The incident has also highlighted the resources and coordination that are needed for air-sea rescue missions. FAQs Where did the Monterey plane crash happen? The Beech 95-B55 aircraft crashed 200 to 300 feet off Point Pinos Lighthouse in the Monterey Peninsula. How many people were on board the plane? Three people were on board the plane. One remains missing. Will the Beech 95-B55 aircraft crash be investigated? Yes, the incident will be probed by the FAA and NTSB.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
MiG-21's Final Flight: Why Training, Not The Jet, Failed Air Force Pilots
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to retire its fleet of Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets in September. The aircraft, which played a key role in India's military campaigns, including the 1971 war against Pakistan, has been both celebrated as a formidable war machine and stigmatised as the "flying coffin" due to its high accident rate. With just two months until the final flight on September 19, historian and Indian Air Force expert Anchit Gupta joined NDTV to provide a detailed perspective on the MiG-21's legacy, dissecting its triumphs, challenges, and the reasons behind its controversial nickname. Introduced to the IAF in 1963, the MiG-21 was initially acquired for a specific role: as a high-altitude interceptor designed to counter aircraft like the American U-2 spy plane. Mr Gupta, whose father flew the MiG-21 during his service, recalled the aircraft's distinct roar as a morning alarm at airbases. "The MiG-21 is extremely close to my heart. And I saw my father fly it. We used to live at the bases. That was our alarm in the morning to wake up. I remember 1986 Operation Brasstacks. My father was in Bhuj, going into the trenches and counting the aircraft coming back to the base. So there is an emotion to MiG-21 for all of us," Mr Gupta told NDTV. MiG-21F-13, designated Type 74 from 1963 The IAF operated around 800 to 1,000 MiG-21s over six decades, a scale unmatched by most air forces. Of these, approximately 300 were lost in accidents. "That is a very sobering statistic. But there's no time lapse to that statistic, and therefore, people struggle to make sense of it. I think the answer very much lies in what we did with the aircraft. The aircraft was acquired for a very, very limited role, to be honest. It was a high-altitude interceptor. The original design of the MIG was to intercept the U-2," Mr Gupta said. The aircraft's role evolved far beyond its original design, encompassing ground attack, fighter reconnaissance, air defence, and, critically, jet training -- a role, Mr Gupta said, it was never intended to fulfil. "Flying Coffin" Label: A Misnomer? The MiG-21's reputation as a "flying coffin" stems from its high crash rate. Mr Gupta challenged this label, arguing that the aircraft's accident record is less about inherent flaws and more about systemic issues in pilot training and aircraft acquisition. "It's very much linked to our procurement. Our combat squadron strength went from eight squadrons in 1947 to nearly 40 squadrons in 1965. Now you have sanctioned it, how do you acquire? And so we were huffing and puffing to acquire more aircraft, and MiG-21 came out of nowhere with the USSR saying, 'Listen, I'll do technology transfer, you manufacture it locally.' It was something that really fell into our laps," Mr Gupta told NDTV. The MiG-21 When the MiG-21 entered service, only the IAF's most experienced pilots were assigned to it due to its demanding flight characteristics. The aircraft's small size, limited cockpit visibility, and high landing speed of over 300 km/h made it unforgiving, particularly for novices. The MiG-21U trainer variant was ill-suited for training. The IAF relied on subsonic trainers like the Kiran and Iskra, which were inadequate for preparing pilots for the MiG-21's supersonic performance. The gap between basic trainers and the MiG-21 widened as the fleet expanded from eight squadrons in 1963 to nearly half the IAF's strength by the 1980s. "The biggest difference is speed. The speed at which you are performing the manoeuvres, the actions that you are doing, dramatically changes. That is the biggest difference, whether it is mid-air manoeuvres, whether it is landing or whether it is taking off,' Mr Gupta said. The "Human Error" Factor The IAF's attribution of many MiG-21 crashes to "human error" has often been misunderstood, he added. Mr Gupta explained that human error, in aviation terms, does not necessarily blame the pilot. "Air Force doesn't mean 'human error' in the way people interpret it," Mr Gupta said. "In the simplest form it means that when you've done an accident investigation, you've realised that the accident happened because the pilot in control made a mistake. Now that mistake has a cause behind it. That cause could be training. You have not trained the pilot appropriately. That cause could be inexperience. "That cause could be psychological, that cause could be disorientation, tons of causes behind it." For young pilots transitioning from subsonic trainers to the MiG-21, the lack of adequate preparation was a significant contributor. The stigma of "human error" often compounds the pain for families, who perceive it as blaming the pilot rather than acknowledging systemic issues. "I haven't met a single MiG-21 pilot who said he didn't love the jet," Mr Gupta said. "It's a big regret. They love the aircraft, but they love their colleagues more. And every life lost is a story that remains etched on the psyche forever. I think the human element is actually made worse off by how we categorise the loss. To the family or to a civilian, it sounds like we're blaming the pilot, and then the emotion comes out. The guy had barely started flying. This is an unforgiving aircraft, the aircraft has problems, and now you have the audacity to blame the pilot and say 'human error,'" he added. The MiG-21's Combat Record Despite its challenges, the MiG-21's combat record is formidable. During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the MiG-21FL (Type 77) earned the moniker "runway buster" for its ground attack role, with 240 units manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft was instrumental in India's victory. In 1999, during the Kargil conflict, MiG-21s performed admirably, though the war also saw the loss of Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja in a crash. Post-Kargil, Squadron Leader Prashant Kumar Bundela shot down a Pakistani Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft. In 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, flying a MiG-21 Bison, engaged Pakistani aircraft during the Balakot operation, downing an F-16 despite facing advanced adversaries like AMRAAM-armed F-16s and JF-17s. The Bison variant, introduced in the early 2000s, remains contemporary, equipped with an Israeli jammer, Russian R-77 and R-73 missiles, a partial glass cockpit, and a helmet-mounted sight. Its short scramble time makes it ideal for forward bases like Srinagar, where it outperformed alternatives like the MiG-29. "There's a very interesting point around the 2019 incident. You know, there's a lens people wear which says, 'Why was the MiG-21 there? Why didn't we have the MiG-29? Why didn't we have the Su-30?' People don't know that there was no other aircraft capable of being at Srinagar at that time other than the MiG-21. It has the shortest scramble time to date," Mr Gupta said. The MiG-29 "We have replaced it with a MiG-29 in Srinagar. I hate to say this, but it is not ideal for Srinagar, even today. A MiG-21 today is more ideal than the units we have there because you don't have a gyro, you have a single engine, light it, off you go, and therefore even today in the last 8 to 10 years or longer, MIG-21 has been our Operational Readiness Platform (ORP) guardian. It is the jet that scrambles. You put small detachments across all our forward bases. Imagine with the MIG-21 going away, who's supposed to fill that shoe? Who is supposed to fill that shoe? It's supposed to be the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). It is supposed to be the LCA. I hope it does," he added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Watch: Passengers evacuate American Airlines flight over fire, gear issue
A viral video from the airport showed passengers sliding down the emergency exit as smoke billowed the aircraft New Delhi An American Airlines flight aborted takeoff in Denver after a suspected landing gear failure and fire forced passengers to evacuate via emergency slides. The flight, bound for Miami aborted its takeoff at Denver International Airport on Saturday afternoon, according to a report by ABC News. A viral video from the airport showed passengers sliding down the emergency exit as smoke billowed the aircraft. ???? #BREAKING: Watch as People evacuate from a American Airlines jet after a left main wheels caught fire ???? #Denver | #Colorado Watch as passengers and crew evacuate American Airlines Flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, at Denver International Airport. The Miami-bound jet was forced… — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 26, 2025 According to the report, the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane had 173 passengers and six crew members on board. 'A loud boom, smoke and fire' A passenger, Mark Tsurkis, described the moments of panic. 'I heard a loud boom and said, 'That's not good.' Then the plane started to slow down and we could see one of the wheels pass by,' he told ABC News. 'When the plane stopped about 30 seconds to a minute later, somebody said, 'Smoke, fire.' And then a lot of people, of course, started panicking,' he added. Six people were medically evaluated at the scene. One passenger with minor injuries was taken to the hospital, the report said. Pilot alerted to flames from air traffic control In air traffic control audio from the pilot can be heard saying, 'We're aborting on the runway.' The controller responded, 'You got a lot of smoke.' 'There was some flames, it looks like the smoke's kind of dying down a bit,' they were heard saying in the audio. Investigation and next steps The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the incident is under investigation. 'American Airlines Flight 3023 reported a possible landing gear incident during departure from Denver International Airport around 2:45 p.m. local time Saturday, July 26,' the agency said. American Airlines confirmed a mechanical issue with one of the tyres during takeoff. The aircraft has been removed from service and will be inspected by maintenance crews. 'All customers and crew deplaned safely,' the airline said in a statement. 'We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologise to our customers for their experience.' Boeing fleet under radar On June 12, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing all but one passenger on board. The incident reignited global safety concerns around Boeing aircraft and prompted an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). However, in its prelimnary report, the AAIB indicated that the fuel control switches on the flight had transitioned from 'run' to 'cutoff' seconds after take-off. On July 22, Air India announced that it has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft in its fleet. The airline said it found no issues with the locking mechanism.
