Once a symbol of the golden age of air travel, a Douglas Super DC-3 airplane lies hollow and forgotten on a deserted black beach in Iceland - untouched since it crashed more than four decades ago. The United States Navy cargo plane is now no more than a husk - dented and bruised by 41 punishing years of arctic gales and rain. Its tail and wings are gone and its windows are all smashed in since it was forced to crash land on Sólheimasandur beach on Saturday November 24 1973. Amazingly, the crew all survived the impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than recovered, meaning the weather-beaten remains are still standing at the crash site. These incredible shots of the aircraft were taken by Eric Cheng, 38, photographer and director of aerial imaging at drone manufacturer DJI, who visited with his wife Pam. Crashed: On Saturday Nov 24 1973, the United States Navy airplane - a Douglas Super DC-3 - was forced to crash land on Sólheimasandur beach . All survived: Amazingly, the crew all survived the impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than recovered, meaning the weather-beaten remains are still standing at the crash site . 'After planning to go to Iceland for a vacation with my wife, I started hearing rumours about a plane wreck located on a huge black sand beach,' Cheng, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, said. 'My wife is a huge airplane buff, so it was pretty clear that I had to find it so I could show it to her.' The exact reason for the crash is not known, although some sources suggest the plane simply ran out of fuel after the pilot switched to the wrong fuel tank. And even the date of the crash is shrouded in mystery - while the Aviation Safety Network reports that the DC-3 went down on Saturday, November 24, 1973, an Icelandic newspaper published on November 22 suggests the plane actually crashed on November 21, 1973. Gutted: The interior of the DC-3 plane has been completely gutted of seats and any hallmarks of a military aircraft by 40 years of extreme weather . 'Airplane buff': These incredible shots of the aircraft were taken by Eric Cheng, 38, photographer and director of aerial imaging at drone manufacturer DJI, who visited with his wife Pam . Plane stupid: The exact reason for the crash is not known, although some sources suggest the plane simply ran out of fuel after the pilot switched to the wrong fuel tank . Despite sitting in the harsh, Icelandic environment for over 40 years, the plane's shell is very well-preserved, although it is missing its tail and half of both wings, with rumours suggesting that a local farmer cashed in on the tail. The plane is located around six miles off the main road west of Vik on Sólheimasandur Beach, meaning Cheng had to hunt down GPS coordinates online and drive to the crash site in a 4x4. 'Once we left the main road, it was about 15 minutes of driving on a huge black-sand beach, which was pretty incredible in itself,' the San Diego-born snapper said. Mystery of the beach: Even the date of the crash is shrouded in mystery - while the Aviation Safety Network reports that the DC-3 went down on Saturday, November 24, 1973, an Icelandic newspaper published on November 22 suggests the plane actually crashed on November 21, 1973 . Well preserved: Despite sitting in the harsh, Icelandic environment for over 40 years, the plane's shell is very well-preserved, although it is missing its tail and half of both wings, with rumours suggesting that a local farmer cashed in on the tail . Off road: The plane is located around six miles off the main road west of Vik on Sólheimasandur Beach, meaning Cheng had to hunt down GPS coordinates online and drive to the crash site in a 4x4 . Alien landscape: Eric said the terrain in Iceland is otherworldly and felt as if he was 'roaming around on alien landscapes' 'The terrain in Iceland is otherworldly-often during the trip, I felt as if I were roaming around on alien landscapes. 'Finding the wreck would have been tricky without having GPS coordinates. There is mound of sand in front of it, which effectively hides the wreck until you are a couple hundred meters away. 'I felt like I was going to reach the ocean without finding it, but once we made it to the top of the mound, the wreck was suddenly there in front of us. Wilderness: The plane crashed about 115 miles south east of Iceland's capital Reykjavik . Like a zombie movie: Eric said the bright fuselage of the plane shined brightly, nestled amongst the stark blackness of the sand all around it, like something from a zombie movie . 'The bright fuselage of the United States Navy DC-3 plane shined brightly, nestled amongst the stark blackness of the sand all around it, like something from a zombie movie. 'You can walk right into the fuselage from the back of the plane and make your way into the cockpit. 'It was also an amazing experience because there were very few tourists around. 'We spent about half an hour wandering around and in the wreck and during that time, only two jeeps pulled up, and only for a few minutes. Most of the time it was just us and the wreck.'
On Nov 24 1973, the US Navy airplane - a Douglas Super DC-3 - was forced to crash land .
on Sólheimasandur beach .
The crew all survived the impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than recovered - and lies there still .
All that's left is the plane's fuselage amid rumours a local farmer stole the tail to mysteriously sell it on .
Pictures taken by Eric Cheng, 38, from San Diego, a photographer and director of aerial imaging at drone maker DJI .
Once a symbol of the golden age of air travel, a Douglas Super DC-3 airplane lies hollow and forgotten on a deserted black beach in Iceland - untouched since it crashed more than four decades ago. The United States Navy cargo plane is now no more than a husk - dented and bruised by 41 punishing years of arctic gales and rain. Its tail and wings are gone and its windows are all smashed in since it was forced to crash land on Sólheimasandur beach on Saturday November 24 1973. Amazingly, the crew all survived the impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than recovered, meaning the weather-beaten remains are still standing at the crash site. These incredible shots of the aircraft were taken by Eric Cheng, 38, photographer and director of aerial imaging at drone manufacturer DJI, who visited with his wife Pam. Crashed: On Saturday Nov 24 1973, the United States Navy airplane - a Douglas Super DC-3 - was forced to crash land on Sólheimasandur beach . All survived: Amazingly, the crew all survived the impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than recovered, meaning the weather-beaten remains are still standing at the crash site . 'After planning to go to Iceland for a vacation with my wife, I started hearing rumours about a plane wreck located on a huge black sand beach,' Cheng, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, said. 'My wife is a huge airplane buff, so it was pretty clear that I had to find it so I could show it to her.' The exact reason for the crash is not known, although some sources suggest the plane simply ran out of fuel after the pilot switched to the wrong fuel tank. And even the date of the crash is shrouded in mystery - while the Aviation Safety Network reports that the DC-3 went down on Saturday, November 24, 1973, an Icelandic newspaper published on November 22 suggests the plane actually crashed on November 21, 1973. Gutted: The interior of the DC-3 plane has been completely gutted of seats and any hallmarks of a military aircraft by 40 years of extreme weather . 'Airplane buff': These incredible shots of the aircraft were taken by Eric Cheng, 38, photographer and director of aerial imaging at drone manufacturer DJI, who visited with his wife Pam . Plane stupid: The exact reason for the crash is not known, although some sources suggest the plane simply ran out of fuel after the pilot switched to the wrong fuel tank . Despite sitting in the harsh, Icelandic environment for over 40 years, the plane's shell is very well-preserved, although it is missing its tail and half of both wings, with rumours suggesting that a local farmer cashed in on the tail. The plane is located around six miles off the main road west of Vik on Sólheimasandur Beach, meaning Cheng had to hunt down GPS coordinates online and drive to the crash site in a 4x4. 'Once we left the main road, it was about 15 minutes of driving on a huge black-sand beach, which was pretty incredible in itself,' the San Diego-born snapper said. Mystery of the beach: Even the date of the crash is shrouded in mystery - while the Aviation Safety Network reports that the DC-3 went down on Saturday, November 24, 1973, an Icelandic newspaper published on November 22 suggests the plane actually crashed on November 21, 1973 . Well preserved: Despite sitting in the harsh, Icelandic environment for over 40 years, the plane's shell is very well-preserved, although it is missing its tail and half of both wings, with rumours suggesting that a local farmer cashed in on the tail . Off road: The plane is located around six miles off the main road west of Vik on Sólheimasandur Beach, meaning Cheng had to hunt down GPS coordinates online and drive to the crash site in a 4x4 . Alien landscape: Eric said the terrain in Iceland is otherworldly and felt as if he was 'roaming around on alien landscapes' 'The terrain in Iceland is otherworldly-often during the trip, I felt as if I were roaming around on alien landscapes. 'Finding the wreck would have been tricky without having GPS coordinates. There is mound of sand in front of it, which effectively hides the wreck until you are a couple hundred meters away. 'I felt like I was going to reach the ocean without finding it, but once we made it to the top of the mound, the wreck was suddenly there in front of us. Wilderness: The plane crashed about 115 miles south east of Iceland's capital Reykjavik . Like a zombie movie: Eric said the bright fuselage of the plane shined brightly, nestled amongst the stark blackness of the sand all around it, like something from a zombie movie . 'The bright fuselage of the United States Navy DC-3 plane shined brightly, nestled amongst the stark blackness of the sand all around it, like something from a zombie movie. 'You can walk right into the fuselage from the back of the plane and make your way into the cockpit. 'It was also an amazing experience because there were very few tourists around. 'We spent about half an hour wandering around and in the wreck and during that time, only two jeeps pulled up, and only for a few minutes. Most of the time it was just us and the wreck.'
impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than aerial imaging at drone manufacturer DJI, who Nov 24 1973, the United States Navy airplane - a Douglas Super DC-3 - was forced to crash land on Sólheimasandur beach . All survived: Amazingly, the crew all survived the impact, but the plane was abandoned rather than recovered, meaning the aircraft were taken by Eric Cheng, 38, photographer and director of aerial imaging at farmer cashed in on the tail. The plane is rumours suggesting that a local farmer cashed in