When it was time to write their report, the US government concluded that Earhart most likely disappeared because the plane ran out of fuel. It probably then crashed into the ocean and sank to the bottom, taking her with it.
- The radio message that the coast guards received is strong evidence for this theory, as it urgently reported that the plane was running out of fuel. It is quite likely that the plane fell into the water soon afterwards.
- Most experts believe that this is what happened. Susan Butler, author of East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart, said in an interview with Time Magazine that she felt that “the plane simply ran out of gas”, and that the remains of the plane would soon be found.
- The search-and-rescue operation covered over 100,000 square miles, with both planes and boats scanning the sky and sea. If Earhart’s plane had not sunk to the bottom of the ocean, it would have been spotted, and Earhart would have been rescued.
Regardless, Earhart’s plane and body were never found. That makes it impossible to know for sure. With no other evidence, however, this theory is the best explanation for her disappearance by far.
Sources: Time Magazine