On December 5, 1945, five General Motors TBM Avenger torpedo bombers embarked on a routine training flight, designated as “Navigation problem No. 1,” from Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Led by Lieutenant Charles C. Taylor, an experienced pilot with combat experience in the Pacific theater, the mission aimed to combine navigation and combat training. Little did they know that this training exercise would become one of the enduring mysteries associated with the Bermuda Triangle.
The flight consisted of three TBM-1Cs, one TBM-1E, and one TBM-3, all fully fueled and equipped for the exercise. Despite some pre-flight issues, including missing clocks, the aircraft took off at 14:10 local time, heading east for low-level bombing practice over Hens and Chickens Shoals.
However, as the mission progressed, compass malfunctions plagued Lt. Taylor, the flight leader. Confusing small islands for the Florida Keys, Taylor led the flight over the open sea, away from land. Radio communications with the base revealed Taylor’s uncertainty about their location, and attempts to guide the flight back were futile. The situation worsened as weather conditions deteriorated.