The Pilot Of That Famous Plane Wreck In Iceland Returns After 50 Years

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SOLHEIMASANDUR, ICELAND – APRIL 16: The crashed Airplane Wreck Dakota Douglas Super DC-3 of United States Navy on April 16, 2023 in Solheimasandur, Iceland. The plane crashed on a beach on the south coast of Iceland in 1973. The remains of the aircraft has become a tourist destination. The wreck has accumulated superficial damage from graffiti, gunfire, and tourists over the years. (Photo by Athanasios Gioumpasis/Getty Images) Getty Images U.S. Navy pilot Greg Fletcher, who flew the aircraft that became an iconic tourist attraction on Sólheimasandur beach in Iceland, is returning the now-famous wreck for the first time in 50 years. I spoke with Greg Fletcher ahead of his trip, to learn more about how that eery, Insta-worthy fuselage wound up on the beach. A Sudden Frost SOLHEIMASANDUR, ICELAND – MARCH 27: A tourist looks at United States Navy DC plane which crashed on a beach on the south coast of Iceland in 1973 on March 27, 2017 at Solheimasandur, Iceland. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) Getty Images On a bitter November day in 1973, Fletcher fought for his life and the lives of those flying with him over the skies of Iceland. Severe icing struck his C-117D during a resupply mission. Within seconds, both engines quit. “We went from doing power transport to an overweight glider,” Fletcher recalls. As other crew members onboard struggled to get the engines to restart, Fletcher worked to keep the aircraft steady and navigate a safe landing. Glaciers loomed beneath the cloud cover, and the North Atlantic lay ahead. “I realized that we were right over about a 5,000-foot glacier, and we were at 10,000 feet, coming down at about 800 feet per minute. I suggested to the aircraft commander that we turn south and ditch. Our chances were better in the North…