Cumberland, Rhode Island – June 4, 1950
Shortly before noon on June 4, 1950, a single-engine Taylorcraft airplane with two men aboard crashed into a thickly wooded/swampy area of Cumberland. The plane did not catch fire, but the 19-year-old pilot and his 21-year-old passenger were severely injured. The pilot suffered a fractured skull, a broken arm, and internal injuries. Despite his injuries, he managed to crawl on the ground through the woods for a mile to get help. He came upon the farm of John Wright who notified authorities.
Due to his semi-conscious condition, the pilot was unable to give rescue workers the exact location of the plane. A search was instituted and police and fire fighters from Cumberland and Woonsocket, as well as the Massachusetts towns of Wrentham and Franklin, scoured the woods until they found the plane. Investigators surmised that the plane had run out of gas.
Sources:
The Boston Globe, “Pilot Crawls Mile After R. I. Crash To Get Aid”, June 5, 1950, pg. 1. Submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.
Providence Journal, “Pair In Badly Injured As Plane Comes Down In Cumberland Woods”, June 5, 1950, pg. 1.
