I find myself asking questions that easily could be answered by a professional pilot but I have never even taken a flying lesson. Maybe I will. Of course these questions and answers don't solve anything, the plane is either on Niku or it's not. So how does a pilot tell exactly how much flying time is left when the gas gauge nears empty? I flew in the B-24 and the gas gauges seemed to be sight glasses, I don't know if that is the way the Electra was set up, what with the extra cabin fuel tank, or maybe the gauge was like a car's. One way to tell for sure is when the engines stop running, but I suspect the Electra doesn't glide very far. Also I surmise that a gliding landing would be very difficult in Amelia's plane. Or difficult for Amelia. I suspect Amelia never ran her tanks dry to see where on the gauge she would be absolutely empty.
When she did go down, whether in the ocean or on land, you would think she would be yelling into the mike "I see an island....I'm going to try to land on it.....I'm out of gas" and she should have been heard, she wasn't that far away from radio receivers and yet nothing. But she supposedly was able to use her radio and be heard after she landed. Yes, would have, should have, I know, but to me it is inexplicable, just like the absence of a position in the distress/help messages.