KSL Podcasts “Unsolved Histories” Inspires Bipartisan Federal Legislation to Recognize Forgotten Military Families

The KSL Podcasts series Unsolved Histories: What Happened to Flight 293?, hosted by Feliks Banel, has led to the introduction of bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House and Senate. The Flight 293 Remembrance Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), along with U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), seeks to formally recognize and support the families of hundreds of military service members classified as “Missing Not In Action” (M-NIA) following non-combat plane crashes since World War II.

"When I first learned of this legislation, I was overwhelmed with emotion. This is what so many families have been fighting for many decades,” reflects Feliks Banel, Unsolved Histories host. “To see this podcast play a role in bringing long-overdue recognition to these service members and their families is deeply humbling. This is more than just history—it’s justice finally being served.”

The Flight 293 Remembrance Act seeks to correct decades of oversight by ensuring M-NIA families receive the same recognition, updates, and support as those whose loved ones are classified as MIA. It also calls for the creation of a database documenting non-combat military plane crashes and requires ongoing evaluation of support efforts for affected families. More details on the legislation can be found here.

Unsolved Histories: What Happened to Flight 293? explores one of aviation’s greatest mysteries—the disappearance of a Northwest Airlines DC-7C carrying military personnel and their families over the Gulf of Alaska on June 3, 1963. Moments before vanishing, one of the pilots radioed air traffic control requesting a change in altitude, but the flight was never heard from again. With no survivors and little debris recovered, families were left with unanswered questions and no formal recognition of their loss. The podcast sheds light on the decades-long fight for recognition led by these families and advocates, a movement that has now helped inspire bipartisan federal legislation. Listen to Unsolved Histories at KSLPodcasts.com or on all major podcast platforms.