Podcast Summary: The Prosecutors, Episode 355

"The Disappearance of Flight 19, Part 2"

Hosts: Brett & Alice
Date: March 31, 2026
Podcast Network: PodcastOne

Episode Overview

In this engaging and deeply researched episode, Brett and Alice continue their investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Flight 19—a training flight that vanished off Florida's coast in December 1945. Tackling both factual and legendary aspects, they unravel the official Navy investigation, discuss burgeoning supernatural lore including the Bermuda Triangle, and remember the men lost. This episode is developed in collaboration with students from Lititz Elementary in Pennsylvania, adding fresh perspectives and great questions throughout.

(Note: Timestamps in MM:SS format.)

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Disappearance and Search Efforts

• Recap of Flight 19: (03:15) Brett summarizes that Flight 19 consisted of five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers on a basic training mission, flying off the east coast of Florida, who got lost and disappeared—fueling the Bermuda Triangle legend.
• Last Radio Transmissions and Ditching Attempt (03:15–05:27): As evening set on December 5, 1945, the lost crew decided to ditch at sea due to fuel exhaustion. The urgency of the rescue effort is discussed, with hosts highlighting the terror and difficulty faced by both the missing aviators and searchers.
• Rescue Gone Wrong: The Lost Mariner (07:27–10:07): Rescue planes were deployed, including two Martin PBM Mariners. One Mariner, with 13 on board, exploded and vanished soon after takeoff, witnessed only by a ship that saw a 100-foot fireball. The hosts explain that, despite its suspicious timing, the Mariner was notoriously called a "flying gas tank," and its fiery fate likely had more to do with design flaws than supernatural forces.

"What are the chances? It must be the Bermuda Triangle, or it's the plane that they call the flying gas tank and blows up." – Brett (10:07)

• Massive Search and Adverse Conditions (12:00–14:52): Over five days, more than 300 boats and aircraft scoured 300,000 square miles. No trace of the 27 lost men was found, in part due to one of the worst storms of the winter.

The Navy Investigation and Controversies

• Official Blame (14:45–19:26): The January 1946 Navy report blames squadron leader Lt. Charles Taylor, citing his navigational disorientation, prior history of getting lost, and a series of misjudgments—including a possibly mistaken belief he was over the Florida Keys.

• Family Pushback and Report Revision (19:26–23:12): Lt. Taylor's mother, Catherine, waged a relentless campaign against the Navy’s conclusions, arguing that procedural failures and weather were under-discussed. The Navy initially dismissed her as "emotionally unstable," but political pressure led to the report’s cause being amended to "unknown." The hosts explain how this small official ambiguity planted seeds for lasting mystery.

"She was adamant that it was the Navy, not her son, who was responsible for this... and they changed the report to say 'unknown.'" – Alice (21:17)

• Setting the Stage for the Bermuda Triangle (23:12–26:58): By amending the cause to "unknown," the Navy inadvertently fueled future supernatural speculation. A 1950 Associated Press article referenced Flight 19 as part of a pattern of inexplicable disappearances, solidifying its role in the Bermuda Triangle mythology.

Development and Cultural Spread of Bermuda Triangle Lore

• From Report to Mystery to Legend
  • 1950: AP article mentions “unknown cause” disappearances (26:58–31:26)
  • 1962: American Legion magazine floats supernatural/time-slip theories
  • 1964: Vincent Gaddis coins “Bermuda Triangle” in Argosy magazine, offering theories of atmospheric aberrations and cementing the area’s legendary status (32:49–34:41)

"Now you got a catchy name for it, the Bermuda Triangle. And now most of you know there are triangles all over the place." – Brett (35:34)

Efforts to Find Flight 19 – The Unsolved Search

• Later Discoveries (and Misidentifications)

  • Challenger search (1986): Recovered many unrelated planes and shipwrecks (36:53–38:51)
  • 1991: Five Avengers discovered, but none from Flight 19 as shown by serial numbers – reinforcing the area’s density of lost wartime equipment.

• Roll Call: Honoring the Crew (38:51–57:50):
  Brett and Alice pay tribute to each member of Flight 19 with brief bios, highlighting their youth, wartime service, and, in some cases, eerie happenstances (like one airman who had lied about his age to enlist, and another whose prior gunner disappeared midflight before also vanishing on Flight 19).

"It's noted that Captain Powers' wife felt a premonition, and before she had heard any news, she had called the base many hours before this disappearance." – Alice (41:07)

• Urban Legends and Unexplained Messages
  • A bizarre telegram received by Sgt. George Richard Panessa’s family (“You have been misinformed about me. Am very much alive. Georgie.”) remains unexplained, but the hosts believe it likely stemmed from an opportunistic or sensationalistic journalist. (57:50–64:23)

Mysteries and Theories Explored

“Weird Stuff” and Persistent Lore

• Radar & Plane Sightings (67:00–68:25): Reports of radar contacts and sightings of plane-like objects after the supposed ditching time are almost certainly misreadings in storm conditions.
• Harsh Weather Conditions (68:25–69:14): Contrary to lore, the weather was already bad and worsened significantly, likely dooming any ditching attempt.
• Unidentified Avenger in the Swamp (69:14–71:00): In 1963, a plane with two skeletons was found in the Everglades; identities remain unrevealed, becoming yet another thread in the mystery.

Theories Discussed

1. The Bermuda Triangle Supernatural Phenomenon

(71:00–78:42)

• Encapsulates a wide range of explanations: Atlantis, wormholes, alien abduction, magnetic anomalies.
• Official agencies, including NOAA, dismiss higher loss rates in the area, and Lloyd’s of London doesn’t charge higher insurance for the region—casting serious doubt on supernatural claims.

"The government’s not going to tell you if the Bermuda Triangle is sucking up boats or ships..." – Alice (76:06)
"Lloyd’s of London does not treat boats going through the Bermuda Triangle any differently... that, to me, is the most convincing." – Brett (77:00)

2. The "Practical" Explanation — Navigational Error and Tragedy

(79:31–89:18)

• Taylor likely became convinced he was over the Keys; disregarded his compass and navigational tools.
• He did not bring a watch or navigation board, failed to take basic precautions, and had a history of getting lost.
• Two high-ranking Marine captains likely deferred to his authority, a testament to military discipline.
• The deadly chain of events arose from inattention, mistaken visual cues, and a breakdown in trust in instruments.

"He trusted in himself so much and he was not going to listen to anyone else. The Navy nailed it the first time. It was his fault." – Brett (88:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Mariner rescue plane's fate:
  "We just want to remind you that if you see flames around you, it’s completely normal because we are flying gas tanks. And because we are flying gas tanks, what are you going to do except cause fires midair sometimes?" – Alice (09:30)

• On the cause being changed to 'unknown':
  "What they could never have known is that by saying this disappearance was caused by unknown circumstances, that they were setting the stage for one of the great supernatural mysteries in history." – Brett (23:12)

• On the domino effect of lore:
  "You can imagine some researcher wanting to write an article, search for all reports that say the disappearance is unknown in this area. It would pull this up, right?" – Alice (30:48)

• On the Atlantis theory’s appeal:
  "What was that movie from, like the 1990s? Oh, yeah, Atlantis. I was like, that's accidental. What happened... Imagine what Atlantis had disrupting all these places in order to... Just because they existed." – Alice (78:12)

• On Taylor’s critical error:
  "Taylor is indicating that that’s what they’re going to do. The waters were choppy. The planes would have sunk very quickly. The crew likely wouldn’t have survived." – Brett (79:31)

  "He made mistakes again and again and again. If he had not made any one of those mistakes, they probably would have made it home and we might not have ever heard of the Bermuda Triangle." – Brett (88:20)

• On the legacy of the lost aviators:
  "That's what's sad about it. As they survive the war, you know, they got through the hard part and then this happened." – Brett (49:14)

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:36 – Hosts welcome & episode recap
• 03:15 – Summary and final transmissions of Flight 19
• 07:27–10:07 – The disappearance and explosion of the Mariner rescue plane
• 14:45–23:12 – Navy investigation, family pushback, and the building of the “unknown cause” mystery
• 26:58–34:41 – How news reports, magazine articles, and a catchy name shaped the Bermuda Triangle legend
• 38:51–57:50 – Personal backgrounds: remembering each lost crew member
• 57:50–64:23 – The mysterious Panessa telegram
• 68:25–71:00 – Theories: radar, weather, and unidentified Avenger skeletons
• 71:00–78:42 – The Bermuda Triangle: supernatural vs. prosaic explanations
• 79:31–89:18 – The “practical” explanation: human error, military hierarchy, and system failures
• 93:49–94:30 – Tribute to Lititz Elementary students and their involvement

Closing Thoughts

The hosts ultimately conclude that while the legend of the Bermuda Triangle and Flight 19’s supernatural fate endures due to a perfect storm of human error, communication breakdowns, and a thirst for mystery, the most likely explanation is tragic navigational error compounded by bad weather. They underscore that the myth grew thanks in part to an amended Navy report and the subsequent storytelling culture around “the unknown.”

Recommended Reading:

• Flight 19: The Disappearance of Flight 19 by Larry Kush

Final Reflection:
The story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of small errors, the risks of overconfidence, and how official ambiguity can birth decades of legend. The episode concludes with heartfelt recognition of the lost airmen—highlighting their humanity—and the hope that their story can continue to teach new generations about research, reasoning, and history.

For feedback, discussion, or early ad-free episodes, the hosts invite listeners to join their Patreon or the Gallery Facebook group, and thank the Lititz Elementary students for their excellent research and insightful questions this season.