What Happened to Amelia Earhart? Inside the World's Greatest Aviation Mystery (Part 1)

Are we close to finding out what happened to Amelia Earhart? Some experts say "yes!"

Nearly 90 years after her disappearance, researchers believe they are are getting closer to solving one of the world's greatest mysteries. But, what do they think happened?

In Part 1 of this special two-part episode, Bob calls up aviation historian Dorothy Cochrane to explore the remarkable life and career of Amelia Earhart before her disappearance in 1937.

How did Earhart become the most famous female aviator in the world? What made her transatlantic flights so groundbreaking? And how did her ambitious attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world set the stage for one of history's biggest mysteries?

Dorothy takes us through Earhart's rise to fame, her record-breaking flights, her partnership with navigator Fred Noonan, and the challenges of planning a round-the-world journey in the early days of aviation.

We'll also hear what Dorothy thinks happened to Earhart ... and why we haven't found the truth yet.

In this episode:

• How Amelia Earhart first fell in love with flying
• The flight that made her an international celebrity
• Why she insisted on proving herself as a pilot
• The ambitious around-the-world flight of 1937
• The communication problems that may have sealed her fate

Next week in Part 2, Ric Gillespie of TIGHAR explains his theory surrounding Earhart's disappearance and explains why he thinks she was marooned on a deserted island.

If you've ever wondered what really happened to Amelia Earhart, this is where the story begins!