UWF archaeologist joins expedition searching for Amelia Earhart’s missing aircraft

Nearly 90 years after Amelia Earhart disappeared while attempting to fly around the world, the mystery of what happened to the pioneering aviator continues to draw researchers to some of the most remote places on Earth. For William Wilson, a University of West Florida maritime archaeologist and faculty research associate, the opportunity to investigate one of those places firsthand meant traveling thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean to search for evidence of Earhart's missing aircraft.

Wilson joined an international team of archaeologists, researchers and technical specialists on the Taraia Object expedition to Nikumaroro, a remote atoll in the Republic of Kiribati. The expedition, led by Purdue University, the Purdue Research Foundation and the Archaeological Legacy Institute, set out to investigate a visual anomaly in the island's lagoon that some researchers believed could be part of Earhart's Lockheed Electra aircraft.

The team arrived on the island in October after nearly six days at sea. After conducting archaeological investigations both on land and underwater, researchers determined the object was not aircraft wreckage, but largely composed of tree debris deposited along the island's shoreline. Although the investigation did not produce evidence confirming the hypothesis, it gave researchers an opportunity to examine the site in person, document additional artifacts and learn more about the island's environment in the hopes of discovering new clues as to what happened to Earhart those many years ago.

For Wilson, whose specialty is using technology to locate shipwrecks, aircraft and other underwater archaeological sites, the expedition presented an opportunity to apply his expertise to a mystery that has captivated the world for generations.

Following the evidence: Investigating the Taraia Object

Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to fly from Lae, Papua New Guinea, to Howland Island during their endeavor to fly around the globe. Despite an extensive search by the U.S. military, neither the aviators nor their aircraft were ever found.

One longstanding theory, known as the castaway hypothesis, suggests Earhart and Noonan may have landed on the reef surrounding Nikumaroro, approximately 400 miles southeast of Howland Island, and become stranded. Researchers have spent decades investigating evidence that could support the theory, including historical photographs, radio transmissions, artifacts and potential aircraft remains.

In 2020, satellite imagery revealed an unusual formation along Nikumaroro's Taraia Peninsula. Its shape and reflective appearance prompted speculation that it could be part of Earhart's aircraft. The Taraia Object expedition was organized to investigate that possibility.

Wilson became involved when underwater archaeologist Michael Krivor, who works with RECON Offshore, connected him with the project. Krivor and his business partner, Jason Burns, a UWF alumnus, reached out to Wilson in spring 2025 because of his experience with underwater archaeology and specialized survey equipment. Wilson and Krivor ultimately worked together on the expedition's archaeological investigations.

The team began by surveying the lagoon with several instruments commonly used to locate submerged archaeological sites. A magnetometer detects changes in the magnetic field and helps researchers identify objects containing iron, including components of shipwrecks and aircraft. Side-scan sonar uses sound waves to create images of the seafloor, helping researchers identify objects or structures resting on its surface. A third instrument, called a subbottom profiler, uses sound to detect objects and features buried beneath the seafloor.

Although the initial survey revealed no significant features on sonar, researchers identified a magnetic anomaly west of the original Taraia Object location. Because portions of Earhart's Lockheed Electra, including components of its landing gear and engine, were made of steel, the team believed the signal could indicate aircraft debris. Wilson and Krivor used a handheld instrument called a gradiometer to pinpoint the anomaly along the shoreline before excavating the area by hand. Using shovels and PVC pipes to probe the sediment, they eventually uncovered a steel pipe approximately three feet long. After documenting it, the team determined it was not associated with the aircraft and returned it to its original location.

Meanwhile, researchers had determined that the material remaining at the Taraia Object site was likely tree debris. Much of the original formation had broken apart or washed away. Still, the team wanted to make sure no aircraft components had become buried beneath the lagoon floor.

"Although unlikely, we thought it still possible that aircraft debris might have been caught in this portion of the lagoon and buried," Wilson said.

To investigate, Wilson and Krivor used a technique called hydroprobing. The process uses a small pump to push water through an eight-foot PVC pipe, gently loosening the sediment so researchers can investigate what lies beneath the surface without significantly disturbing the area. After systematically probing the seafloor around the site, they found only coral rubble and no evidence of aircraft wreckage. The investigation ultimately determined that the reflective material responsible for the anomaly's metallic appearance was a natural coating of hardened coral sediment rather than aircraft metal.

Navigating challenges: Working in one of the most remote places on Earth

The archaeological work was only one aspect of the expedition. Reaching the site and establishing operations on Nikumaroro presented challenges of its own. Located far from the nearest inhabited community, the island required nearly six days of travel by sea to reach. The team departed from Tarawa, Kiribati, on Oct. 6, spending several days aboard an island freighter before reaching the atoll.

Accommodations aboard the vessel were basic. Approximately 34 people shared the boat, sleeping on mattresses inside small bed tents on the back deck. The team also shared four bathrooms, one washer and dryer, and a small galley that could accommodate only six people at a time. With limited workspace, Wilson said much of the computer-based work took place inside the team's bed tents.

Once on the island, researchers faced the challenge of transporting people and equipment into the lagoon and reaching the Taraia Peninsula. Small boats navigated a passage through the surrounding reef before traveling through shallow water into the lagoon. On land, team members used machetes and small chainsaws to clear a path through dense vegetation to the research site.

The team also had to prepare for the South Pacific heat, making sure to have boxes of electrolyte packets and setting up canopy tents to provide shade during long days of fieldwork. With no nearby hardware stores or other resources available, equipment problems required creative solutions. Wilson said the team also had to carefully select what to bring because of the limited space available for transporting supplies.

"We were able to try some new things, including a small hookah compressor instead of traditional scuba tanks, and small, lightweight geophysical sensors that we might not normally employ," Wilson said.

Despite the logistical challenges, the team completed its investigation over a span of seven days.

Continuing the search for answers

Although the Taraia Object was not the aircraft wreckage researchers had hoped to find, the expedition contributed additional information to the ongoing investigation of Earhart's disappearance.

The team also identified other artifacts during its terrestrial and underwater archaeological work, including a steel tube discovered in the lagoon. Researchers will continue studying those findings to better understand the movement of objects through the lagoon and their potential significance to the broader castaway hypothesis.

For Wilson, the opportunity to participate in the investigation was meaningful beyond the archaeological discoveries. The expedition brought together researchers with different areas of expertise and gave him a firsthand look at the work involved in communicating complex archaeological investigations to a broader audience. UWF's Archaeology Institute has a longstanding focus on public archaeology and making research accessible beyond the academic community. Wilson said the expedition's extensive media involvement offered another perspective on how researchers can share their work and discoveries with the public.

"I feel so incredibly lucky to have shared in this opportunity," Wilson said. "Working with the other researchers was inspiring, especially as it related to their passion for this project. It is also such rare good fortune to be a part of the Amelia Earhart story. Although her story captivated the world, so few have had the opportunity to physically go and search for her. I am honored and humbled to be among them, and I hope to return to the south Pacific in the future to aid future expeditions. The search is not over!"

To learn more about Anthropology and Archaeology at UWF, visit uwf.edu/AnthroArch.