Block Island Sound – August 14, 1961
On August 14, 1961, a Piper Apache with four men aboard took off from Block Island Airport and flew out over Block Island Sound. All four men were civilian engineers contracted by the navy to test secret calibrating equipment to be used on nuclear submarines. The purpose of this flight was to test some of the equipment. Apparently while conducting the tests somewhere between Montauk Point, New York, and Block Island, the plane crashed into the sea, sank, and all aboard were killed.
A large scale search was instituted during which two of the bodies of the four missing men were subsequently recovered.
It’s unknown if the aircraft was recovered.
Source:
Providence Journal, “Search Sea Fore Trio In Plane Crash”, August 19, 1961, pg. 20.
