Block Island, Rhode Island – July 8, 1956
Shortly after 10:00 a.m. on the morning of July 8, 1956, three men took off from the Block Island Airport in a Piper Super Cruiser bound for Windham, Connecticut. As the plane approached the Old Harbor area it encountered a thick fog bank dropping visibility to zero. According to witnesses, the plane came out of the fog and nearly crashed into the top of the Surf Hotel before sailing out over the harbor. At that point the pilot made a sharp turn in an attempt to return to the airport, but as he did so the plane fell left wing first and crashed into the water.
All three men escaped the cabin and clung to the wreckage until it sank three minutes later. They then swam to shore without assistance. Each had suffered minor bruises but did not require medical attention.
Later on several young men swam out to the plane which had settled in 20 feet of water. After securing lines to the fuselage, it was towed to shore.
Source:
Providence Journal, “3 Swim Ashore After Block I. Plane Crash”, July 9, 1956, pg. 5.
