Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
1-2hWord from curator
Iceland expert
30+ destinations visited
18 curated trips
The Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck is one of Iceland’s most surreal and iconic landmarks — the skeletal remains of a U.S. Navy DC-3 that crash-landed on a black sand beach in 1973. While the crew survived, the abandoned fuselage was left behind and has since become a haunting, photogenic site against the vast, windswept desert of Sólheimasandur.
What makes it worth visiting is the sheer contrast: silver metal against endless black volcanic sand, no signs of life or structure in sight. It’s eerie, cinematic, and oddly peaceful — a favorite spot for photographers and travelers chasing Iceland’s wilder side. You can even step inside the wreck for an up-close look at its weathered, graffiti-tagged interior.
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