Atlantic Ocean – April 27, 1975

Atlantic Ocean – April 27, 1975

     On the evening of April 27, 1975, a single-engine Piper Cherokee Six, with a pilot and six passengers aboard, took off from Lawrence, Massachusetts bound for Saint John, New Brunswick.  The passengers were construction workers headed for an oil refinery project.  As the aircraft was passing over Maine it encountered a snow storm and the pilot radioed that he’d be changing course.  When the plane never arrived at its destination a search was begun.

     The search reportedly involved more than a dozen military aircraft and volunteers from the Civil Air Patrol, as well as several Coast Guard and navy vessels.  The search was called off on May 12th after nearly 24,000 square miles had been covered and no trace of the missing plane had been found.

     A few days later, a fishing trawler operating ten miles off the coast of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, caught a large piece aircraft wreckage in its nets.  It was positively identified as being part of the missing plane because it contained the aircraft identification number on it.  

     Sources:

     Hartford Courant, “Small Plane Missing With Seven Aboard”, April 29, 1975  

     Hartford Courant, “Hunt resumes For Plane With Seven Aboard”, May 1, 1975

     Westerly Sun, “End Hunt For Missing Plane”, May 13, 1975 

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Two Fishermen Haul Up Part Of Missing Plane”, May 19, 1975

Return to Top ▲Return to Top ▲