Tycoon Using Airplane Bathroom Mysteriously Vanishes Mid-Flight

On a clear July day in 1928, finance mogul Alfred Loewenstein boarded his private plane with a handful of employees in tow. He couldn’t have known it then, but this brief fight from London to his home in Brussels would baffle historians and true crime enthusiasts for years to come. The details surrounding Loewenstein’s doomed flight gave rise to many far-fetched theories that, it turns out, may not be as far-fetched as they originally seemed. The public had a real-life game of Clue on their hands...

Alfred Loewenstein

Alfred Loewenstein wasn’t a stupid man. He knew that his standing as the third richest person in the world made him a target as much as a role model to other people seeking their own fortunes. That’s why he surrounded himself with a tight network of trusted employees.

His Trusted Employees

Six of these trusted employees accompanied Loewenstein on board the Fokker FVII, his private plane, that fateful day in 1928. One was his loyal valet, Fred Baxter, who accompanied Loewenstein everywhere he went. Along for the ride was Arthur Hodgson, his personal secretary. Loewenstein trusted both men to keep his professional and personal lives in order.

Seven Passengers

With the three men were Loewenstein’s two stenographers, Eileen Clark and Paula Bidalon. Donald Drew was the pilot and Robert Little was the mechanic. These two men stayed in the cockpit during the flight, sealed off from the rest of the cabin. On that sunny July day, the seven passengers settled in for a quick flight.

Thousands of Feet

The plane took off around 6pm and had soon reached its cruising altitude of 4,000 feet. For the first half of the flight, Loewenstein stayed in his seat, working quietly. Then, he got up to use the bathroom. If you had looked out the window at that moment, you would’ve seen the lush countryside giving way to the English Channel.