On a clear autumn day, November 2, 2003, 44-year-old Isle Sorensen disappeared from Fishers Island, New York. A resident of the remote and close-knit island community, her absence was deeply felt by those who knew her. That morning, she became a passenger in a vintage 1939 Fleet 16B aircraft, a distinctive yellow single-engine plane, for what was intended to be a local personal flight. The flight departed from Westerly State Airport in Rhode Island around 11:00 AM under visual meteorological conditions, meaning the weather was clear.
The flight was part of a three-plane formation, with two aircraft flying together while a photographer in the third plane took pictures. Witnesses reported seeing the antique plane performing aerobatic maneuvers, including steep turns and swooping low over the water. At approximately 11:30 AM, about one mile south of Fishers Island, the pilot of one of the other planes tried to make radio contact with the Fleet aircraft but received no response.
Upon circling back to search, the pilot spotted debris floating on the surface of the water, marking the location where the plane had tragically crashed. It appeared the aircraft impacted the water at a steep, 45-degree angle while attempting to pull up from a low maneuver.
The crash was devastating, and the aircraft was destroyed upon impact with the water. Neither Isle Sorensen nor the pilot were ever recovered, and they are presumed to be fatally injured. Immediate and thorough searches of the area were conducted by local law enforcement and volunteers, but no trace of the occupants was found. The investigation into the incident faced significant challenges due to the nature of the crash. Over time, very little of the airframe was recovered. About a year after the accident, the plane's corroded Kinner R-56 radial engine was found, with its wooden propeller still attached. The National Transportation Safety Board later determined the probable cause of the accident to be the pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the water while maneuvering. Isle Sorensen's disappearance is a heartbreaking story that began as a scenic flight and ended in a tragic accident, leaving her family, friends, and the quiet island community with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss.Last Seen: Nov 2, 2003
