Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Andrew
Thomas Fleming
14
14
5'7 inches
150 lbs
White
Male
On the evening of December 29, 2016, a sense of joy and excitement filled the air for the Fleming family and their friends as they departed from a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game. Fourteen-year-old Andrew Thomas Fleming, a student at the Ohio State School for the Blind, was among those who had enjoyed the game. He was accompanied by his parents, John and Suzanne Fleming, and his older brother, John Robert "Jack" Fleming. Also with them were a family friend, Brian Casey, and his daughter, Megan Casey. The group boarded a private Cessna Citation 525 plane at Burke Lakefront Airport, with Andrew's father, an experienced pilot, at the controls, ready to make the journey home to Columbus, Ohio. At the time of his disappearance, Andrew was described as being 5'7" tall and weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey with the number 23, and blue jeans. The flight was intended to be a short one, heading towards the Ohio State University airport. However, just a few minutes after taking off, the aircraft tragically vanished from radar. The last contact was recorded only two miles from the airport, over the dark, cold waters of Lake Erie. An extensive search and recovery operation was launched in the aftermath of the plane's disappearance, facing challenging winter conditions. Hope for finding survivors quickly faded as the days passed. Eventually, some of the victims were recovered and identified; sadly, they included Andrew's father, John Thomas Fleming, his brother, Jack Fleming, and their friend, Brian Casey. Despite the tireless efforts of the recovery teams, the bodies of Andrew, his mother Suzanne, and their friend Megan Casey were never found. An investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board later concluded that the probable cause of the devastating crash was "pilot spatial disorientation" and fatigue. Andrew was a vibrant young man who, despite being blind, actively participated in life. He was a member of his school's track and swim teams, played baseball in the Miracle Baseball League for children with disabilities, and was a competitor in the Special Olympics. The tragic accident cut short a promising young life and left a profound void in the hearts of his family, friends, and the community. The case is now considered a lost/injured missing person case, with Andrew and the other unrecovered victims presumed to have tragically perished in the plane crash over Lake Erie.
Dec 29, 2016
Cleveland
Ohio
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office
216-348-4232
05/11/2026
