Definition
The most recent geographic position of an aircraft as established by radar, radio communication, pilot report, or other reliable source before contact was lost. Search and rescue, air traffic control, and other agencies use this position as the starting point when an aircraft becomes overdue, goes missing, or loses two-way communication.
Plain English
The last spot where someone knew for sure where the aircraft was. If contact is lost after that, this point becomes the place searchers start from.
Context Anchor
Used in radar assistance, overdue-aircraft, lost-aircraft, and emergency discussions when ATC or other personnel need a starting point for finding or helping an aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
It is the starting point controllers use to begin search and rescue and the reference a pilot uses to re-establish orientation after losing situational awareness.
Intuition Check
Do not read last-known location as the aircraft’s current location. It means the last reliable position before the aircraft’s present position became unknown.
Example Sentence 1
After radar contact was lost in mountainous terrain, the controller passed the aircraft's last-known location to the rescue coordination center.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot used the last-known location as the fix from which to begin their lost-procedure turn.