Man hikes to the CIA’s “top secret” plane crash in Death Valley and can't believe what he found
Sometimes you can find the most fascinating things in the most unexpected places, and that was the case for one YouTuber who braved a dangerous hike in Death Valley in search of a lost CIA spy plane.
Death Valley is definitely one of the most dangerous places across all of America to hike, as it's capable of reaching life-threatening temperatures that make any strenuous exercise incredibly challenging.
That's exactly why the CIA and US Air Force declined to retrieve a crashed spy plane from the depths of the national park, as it proved to be both dangerous and not worth the effort.
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The plane in question was a Grumman SA-16A Albatross, commissioned by the CIA as a spy plane in the 1950s for use in the Cold War.
During a training mission in 1952 one of the engines completely failed while it was flying over Death Valley, prompting all six occupants on the flight to abandon ship.
While they all thankfully survived, the same can't be said for the Albatross, as it swiftly crashed into the valley, causing a heavy impact on a steep slope in what can only be described as the middle of nowhere.
It remains there to this day, and YouTuber Ghost Town Living, otherwise known as Brent Underwood, took it upon himself to brave the hike and check it out.
Upon reaching the wreckage it's actually hard to believe what you're seeing, as it's both surprisingly in tact and utterly destroyed at the same time. It almost looks like an anomaly upon the edge of the rocky hill, but once Brent got a little closer its easier to see the catastrophic damage.
Large parts of the Albatross' metal frame have been completely shattered, with pieces strewn tens of meters away from the main crash site. Most of the chairs, for example, have been thrown out of the plane, but one remains inside showing how steep of an angle the plane currently lies at.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the wreckage is the comparative effect that the sun has had on the plane's shell. Where the sun hits it's easy to notice how much the colour and details have worn away, but on the underside which almost always remains shrouded from the beating sun, paint and text remains almost as if it was new.
You can see the giant lettering on what is assumed to be one of the wings, alongside text that states "cut here for emergency rescue" underneath a broken window, even though it's been exposed to the elements for over 70 years.
Something that he also noticed is that there are parts of the plane that have clearly been taken by other visitors to the site - in particular an I.D. plate which he previously spotted a listing for on eBay.
This made him question the difference between 'trash' and 'treasure', as the crashed SA-16A is likely both at the same time.
"Either it's trash or it's treasure, meaning either it's all taken away or it's left for other people to enjoy," Brent outlines, and unfortunately this crash site finds itself difficultly somewhere in the middle.
Many in the comments have been left amazed at Brent's bravery, in particular within the moments that he's exploring the plane.
"Brent mentions how the plane wreckage is precariously perched and then in the next breath he says how cool it is to sit inside," one comment remarks, whereas another adds: "How precarious it's perched, and you're clambering all over it! I was so worried for you."
One even describes Underwood as "fearless" in his pursuit for exploration, and it's certainly something you can't deny as he's gone to incredible lengths to explore and share incredibly finds such as this, despite the clear and present dangers.