White Mountain National Forest – February 21, 1959

White Mountain National Forest, Near the town of Lincoln, New Hampshire – February 21, 1959

     On the morning of February 21, 1959, a Piper Comanche, (Reg. no. N5324P), with two men aboard took off from West Lebanon, New Hampshire, bound for Berlin, New Hampshire. Both men were doctors, and the primary purpose of the flight was to treat a heart patient in Berlin who was under the care of one of the doctors. 

     The doctors were identified as Ralph E. Miller, (60), and Robert E. Quinn, (32).  Dr. Miller was an experienced pilot and member of the Lebanon Civil Air Patrol.  Dr. Quinn was a cardiologist and pulmonary disease specialist. 

      At about 3:30 that afternoon the pair took off from Berlin for the return trip to West Lebanon.  They were last seen heading south under low cloud cover at an altitude of about 1,000 feet.  By 9:00 p.m. the aircraft was reported missing, and a large scale search was initiated.  The search was hampered by poor weather and numerous alleged sightings reported from throughout the region.     

     The plane had gone down in the wilderness of the White Mountains near the town of Lincoln, and wasn’t found until May 5, 1959.  Examination of the crash site indicated both men had survived the initial crash, but perished a few days later.    

     A detailed account of this tragedy was documented in a book titled “Shrouded Memories, True Stories From The White Mountains Of New Hampshire”, by Floyd W. Ramsey. c. 1994.  

     Today, a memorial marks the site of the crash.  

     To see more information about Dr. Miller, click on the link below. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87029520/ralph-english-miller

     To see more information about Dr. Quinn, click on the link below.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136644649/robert-edward-quinn

     Sources:

     Book: Shrouded Memories, True Stories From The White Mountains Of New Hampshire, by Floyd W. Ramsey, copyright 1994, Bondcliff Books, P.O. Box 385, Littleton, New Hampshire

     Dartmouth Medicine, (A Magazine For Alumni And friends of Dartmouth Medical School, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center) “Unforgiving Forests” by John Morton, Winter, 2000.   https://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/winter00/html/plane_crash.shtml

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

 

Hudson, N. H. – October 18, 1983

Hudson, New Hampshire – October 18, 1983

     On the morning of October 18, 1983, a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter, (Reg. No. N5011N), with a lone pilot aboard, took off from Boston bound for Manchester Airport in New Hampshire.  The helicopter belonged to a Boston news station, and the purpose of the trip was to retrieve video tapes of the funeral of a U. S. Marine from Nashua, New Hampshire, who’d been killed in Lebanon.   

     As the helicopter was passing over the town of Hudson, New Hampshire, it developed engine trouble and the pilot radioed a distress call to the Manchester control tower.  He then made an emergency crash-landing in the parking lot of an apartment complex.  When the aircraft hit the parking lot, it skidded for 120 feet before colliding with a dumpster and bursting into flame.  The pilot did not survive. 

      Investigation revealed that an engine turbine blade had failed during flight. 

     Sources:

     UPI article, “A Boston Television Station Helicopter Crashed And Burned Today”, October 18, 1983.

     Aviation Safety Network, Wikibase #36342     

Newbury, N.H. – November 21, 1949

Newbury, New Hampshire – November 21, 1949

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     Much has been written and documented about this crash which can be found elsewhere on the Internet. 

     On November 20, 1949, 18-year-old Harvard freshman John M. Moses took off from Bridgeport, Connecticut, bound for Boston, in a military surplus AT-6 “Texan” trainer aircraft, which had been converted for civilian use and given the civil registration number of N66221.  While in-route he encountered darkness and thick clouds and crashed near the summit of Mount Blood in Newbury, New Hampshire.  (Some accounts have referred to the mountain as “Bald Mountain”, and “Sunapee Mountain”.)

     Moses had bailed out of the aircraft prior to impact but the parachute didn’t deploy properly and he perished.  The aircraft crashed and exploded, with the engine reportedly coming to rest fifty yards from the wreckage.     

     To see another newspaper article and Mr. Moses’ grave, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/139370286/john-marshall-moses

     Sources:

     The Evening Star, (Wash. D.C.), “Harvard Flyer Found Dead, Parachute Half Opened”, November 21, 1949.

     “Sunapee Mountain Plane Crash Remembered”, by William A. Murgatory, Jr., 2009.

     www.findagrave.com

 

 

Manchester, N.H. – February 19, 1933

Manchester, New Hampshire – February 19, 1933 

     On February 19, 1933, a 35-year-old man from Concord, New Hampshire, was piloting a small rented airplane from Manchester Airport, to Concord, and back to Manchester.  While coming in to land at Manchester Airport, the pilot “attempted a wing-over” while too close to the ground and crashed.  The aircraft exploded in flames and the pilot perished.   

     The type of aircraft is unknown. 

     Source: 

     The Waterbury Democrat, (CT.), “Amateur Pilot Crashed And Was Burned To Death”, February 20, 1933, pg. 8. 

Unity, N.H. – November 11, 1911

Unity, New Hampshire – November 11, 1911

    On November 11, 1911, three students from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, took off in a balloon named “Stevens 21”.  The pilot was H. Perry Sherman, the former president of the Williams College Aeronautical Society.  He was accompanied by H. R. Sorner of Cleveland, Ohio, and J. A. Jones of New York City.  

     The ascension was made from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 2 p.m., and the balloon began traveling in a northerly direction.  It passed over southern Vermont and into New Hampshire where it began to approach Acworth Mountain. The balloon was heavy, and the men began tossing out ballast in order to clear the top of the mountain.  After clearing the mountain it continued on towards Clairmont, New Hampshire.   With the ballast depleted, the pilot was forced to drop the anchor in order to land.  The anchor caught some tree tops in a wooded area in the town of Unity, and the balloon began to heavily bump against the tree tops.  The men were unable to climb down, and were forced to spend the night in their precarious position.  Fortunately they were discovered by a farmer, who sought help.  After cutting away some of the trees the men were finally able to escape the bobbing balloon.  More trees had to be cut in order to drag the balloon from the woods. 

     The balloon had traveled 77 miles. 

     Source: 

     The Dailey Kennebec Journal, (Maine), “Bumped, Amateur Aeronauts Thrilling Trip”, November 13, 1911.  

 

Nashua, N. H. – January 11, 1949

Nashua, New Hampshire – January 11, 1949

     On the afternoon of January 11, 1949, two young men rented a yellow Piper Cub, (NC 88059), at the Nashua Airport and took off towards the nearby town of Milford.  About ten minutes later the aircraft was seen heading back towards the airport when it went into a steep turn and then crashed in a thickly wooded section about a mile northwest of the Cadorette Farm on Milford, Road.  Both men were killed instantly.  

     Although the aircraft had been demolished, there was no fire afterward,  A search for the missing plane was instituted, during which one of the volunteers, a 54-year-old man from Milford, suffered a heart attack and passed away. 

     Source:

     The Nashua Telegraph, “Nashuans Die In Plane crash; Searcher dead”, January 11, 1949, page 1. (With two photos of aircraft)

 

Kearsarge, N. H. – December 5, 1948

Kearsarge, New Hampshire – December 5, 1948

     On December 5, 1948, a helicopter belonging to the New England Helicopter Service was transporting building materials up Pequawket Mountain, (also known as Kearsarge North), to be used to construct a fire tower at the summit.  The helicopter made it to the 3,268 foot summit, and as the pilot was about to land, the engine suddenly lost all power while the aircraft was still about 20 feet in the air.  As the helicopter fell, the 30-year-old pilot jumped clear and tumbled safely to the ground.  Meanwhile, the helicopter’s landing gear struck a rocky ledge causing it to flip on its side and burst into flames.  

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Pilot Safe In Crash Of Helicopter”, December 6, 1948, page 1. 

Hudson, N. H. – June 17, 1928

Hudson, New Hampshire – June 17, 1928

     At 11:18 a.m. on June 17, 1928, an American Eagle aircraft with a pilot and two passengers aboard took off from Ferryall Field in Hudson.  Just after becoming airborne, while at an altitude of approximately 75 feet, the airplane suddenly caught fire in flight.  The pilot noticed the flames and attempted to bank at which time the plane dove to the ground and exploded in an area of ploughed ground adjacent to the flying field.  

     The two passengers, a 43-year-old man, and a 22-year-old woman, perished in the blaze, but the pilot managed to escape, but was seriously burned.  He was transported to Nashua Memorial Hospital where he eventually recovered.   

     Prior to the accident the aircraft had undergone some unspecified repairs after which it was taken up for a 25 minute test flight and appeared to be working perfectly. 

     Sources:

     The Nashua Telegraph, “Mr. Theriault And Miss Thomas Are Victims When Plane Catches Fire”, June 18, 1928, pg. 1.

     The Nashua Telegraph, “Accident Unavoidable Chief Finds”, June 18, 1928, pg 1.

     The Nashua Telegraph, “Pilot’s Own Story Of Accident”, June 18, 1928, pg. 1.  

Intervale, N. H. – September 19, 1949

Intervale, New Hampshire – September 9, 1949

     At about 9:00 p.m. on the night of September 19, 1949, two men from White River Junction, Vermont, were in a small airplane circling the unincorporated area of Intervale, New Hampshire.  The circling aircraft was noticed by a state trooper who assumed the pilot was lost and searching for nearby White Mountain Airport.  The trooper quickly drove to the airport to turn on the lights, but in the meantime the plane crashed in a field.  Both men were seriously injured and transported to Memorial Hospital in Conway.  One of the men succumbed to his injuries the following day.     

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “One Killed In Crash Landing In White Mts.”, September 20, 1949

 

 

Milford, N. H. – October 13, 1929

Milford, New Hampshire – October 13, 1929

     On the morning of October 13, 1929, a pilot was giving sightseeing rides in a Waco aircraft at the Fitch Flying Field in Milford.  Over the course of the day he’d made several successful flights carrying passengers.    Shortly after 3:00 p.m. he took off again with two men aboard.   Just after becoming airborne the engine suddenly stopped, and the pilot attempted to land on an open piece of property adjacent to the airport.  Just as it appeared that he would make a safe landing the airplane’s landing gear caught a telephone wire running along Brookline Road, which caused the plane to nose dive into the ground and disintegrate.  Although the plane was destroyed, all three men survived, but suffered serious injuries.  One suffered a dislocated hip; another a broken leg and facial lacerations, and the third had to have his foot amputated. 

     Source: The Nashau Telegraph, “Three Injured When Plane Crashes At Milford, Treated At Hospitals – Condition Of Each Is Better Today”, October 14, 1929, page 1.       

 

Greenville, N. H. – July 28, 1951

Greenville, New Hampshire – July 28, 1951

     On the morning of July 28, 1951, an airplane carrying four men crashed in Greenville killing all aboard.  The plane went down in a wooded area about an eighth of a mile from the Fitchburg-Greenville Road. 

     A witness to the crash who lived on New Ipswich Road stated it occurred around 9 a.m., and he notified Chief of Police Carl Valyou of the neighboring town of Mason. 

     A woman who lived about a mile from the crash site reported that she’d heard a small plane circling low over the area prior to the accident.  

     The weather at the time of the accident was rainy and foggy with low cloud cover. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Four Men Reported dead In Greenville Plane Crash”, July 28, 1951, page 1.    

Nashua, N. H. – June 5, 1936

Nashua, New Hampshire – June 5, 1936

     On the early morning of June 5, 1936, a 24-year-old pilot took off from Nashua Airport in a two-cockpit Command-Aire bi-plane for a solo flight.  He later returned to the airport shortly before 7 a.m. and attempted to land.  According to a witness, the aircraft appeared to overshoot the landing field and the pilot gunned the engine in an attempt to go around for another try.  As he did so the engine stalled, and the aircraft nosed over and crashed, and came to rest on its back pinning the pilot inside. 

     Two men who witnessed the accident rushed to the scene and after shutting off the ignition, pulled the pilot from the wreckage.  The pilot was transported to Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on June 8. 

     The pilot was a student pilot who was attempting to log enough solo hours to get his license.  

     This accident was reported to be “the first serious crash” at the Nashua Airport since establishment of the field.  

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Nashua Aviator Near Death In Airport Crackup”, June 5, 1936, page 1.  

 

Hudson, N. H. – September 28, 1946

Hudson, New Hampshire – September 28, 1946

     On the afternoon of September 28, 1946, a pilot and his student took off from Nashua in a “Aeronca light plane” for an instructional flight.  At 4 p.m. while practicing simulated forced landings over the neighboring town of Hudson, the aircraft was caught in a sudden down-draft and crashed into a tall pine tree.  The impact shattered the right wing, before the plane hit the ground and broke the tail.   The aircraft was a total wreck, but miraculously neither man aboard was hurt.  

     The crash occurred on the Groves Farm on Lowell Road.  

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Nashua Fliers Unhurt In Hudson Plane Crash”, September 30, 1946. (With Photo)

Nashua, NH. – May 28, 1948

Nashua, New Hampshire – May 28, 1948

     At about 12:30 p.m. on the afternoon of May 28, 1948, a 40-year-old Nashua man took off from Boire Airfield in Nashua in a small monoplane.  The reason for the flight was not stated in the press, however, shortly after takeoff something went wrong, and the plane crashed in the front yard of a home on Perry Avenue, and the pilot was killed instantly.

     The owner of the home told reporters that just before the accident, she and her 10-year-old son observed the plane circling overhead as if it were in trouble.  She and her son then began walking down the street to take him back to school, and a few moments later the plane crashed in her front yard.  Neither of them was hurt.   

     Prior to crashing in the front yard, the plane had careened off a neighbor’s roof tearing away some of the slate shingles.  

     The Reverend Leo Gilbert of St. Louis de Gonzague parish administered last rites to the pilot.     

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Body Hurled To Porch As Plane Hits Perry Avenue”, May 28, 1948, page 1 

Nashua, N.H. – September 5, 1938

Nashua, New Hampshire – September 5, 1938 

     On the evening of September 5, 1938, a private airplane pilot took off from Nashua in a “single-seat open cockpit Royal sport bi-plane”.  The pilot had made several trips during the day in the same airplane without any problems.  After being airborne for about ten minutes the pilot turned back towards the airfield.  When he got within a mile of the field his plane was seen to go into a spin.  The pilot managed to pull the plane out of the spin, but was now at tree-top level.  The aircraft skimmed the tops of some trees before it crashed in the McDonald Brothers Lumber Yard.  By pure chance, the plane hit between two stacked piles of lumber which tore the wings away but reduced the effects of the impact, and allowed the fuselage to skid to a stop.  The pilot had cut the ignition prior to impact and there was no fire.  The pilot was seriously injured but was expected to recover. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Rapsis Is recovering From Airplane Crash”, September 6, 1938, page 1. 

Claremont, N.H. – May 15, 1946

Claremont, New Hampshire – May 15, 1946

 

1930s Post Card View Of The
Claremont, New Hampshire, Airport.

     On the evening of May 16, 1946, two men, a pilot and his student, were making a landing approach to the Claremont Airport in a small airplane when the engine suddenly lost power and they crashed short of the runway.  The plane was heavily damaged, and both men received non-life-threatening injuries. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Two Injured In Claremont Plane Crash”, May 16, 1946  

 

Goffstown, N.H. – December 13, 1945

Goffstown, New Hampshire – December 13, 1945

     On the afternoon of December 13, 1945, a 24-year-old man  rented a Piper Cub airplane in Nashua, New Hampshire, and flew to Concord Airport to deliver plans for a proposed seaplane base along the Merrimack River in Lowell.   He arrived safely at Concord at 2:30 p.m., and took off for the return trip to Nashua a half-hour later.  While in route the engine of this airplane began to miss-fire and he began losing altitude.  Then the engine quit.  As he was attempting to make a controlled landing the plane’s left wing struck a tree top which sent the aircraft into a cartwheel causing it to crash and catch fire.  Fortunately the pilot was able to extricate himself and create distance between himself and the burning wreck.

     The weather was cold, the sun had set, and snow covered the ground.  On top of that the pilot had lost his gloves in the crash, one pants leg had been ripped open, and he was bleeding from two lacerations. 

     Fortunately the pilot had served as a B-24 pilot during World War II, and had had some survival training.   He stayed near the plane during the night and began walking at first light. 

     Meanwhile a search for the missing airplane and pilot was underway and several times he heard low flying aircraft and heard hunters shooting, but didn’t see anyone.  When he came upon a brook, he drank from it, and then followed it downstream but it didn’t lead him to civilization. 

     The following night he managed to start a small fire, but it didn’t do much to warm him, so he began walking again.   Then after walking for four to five hours he wound up back at the site where he’d made the fire. 

     He then began ripping four foot lengths of pine branches and stacking them in large pile.  He then crawled inside and spent the rest of the night there.   In the morning he began walking again. 

     At about 7 p.m. that evening he came to a road, and saw a light in the distance.  The light was to the farmhouse at Glen Echo Farm, and when knocked, he was allowed in, fed, and warmed by the stove.   A short time later a police officer arrived to transport him to the base hospital at Grenier Field in Manchester.   

     At the hospital it was learned that the following day, December, 24th was to be the pilot’s wedding day.   The wedding was rescheduled. 

     Source: The Nashua Telegraph, “Found Flier’s Chief regret He Missed Wedding Today”, December 17, 1945, page 1.  

 

 

 

 

Laconia, N. H. – July 22, 1945

Laconia, New Hampshire – July 22, 1945

     At 6:55 p.m. on the evening of July 22, 1945, what was described by the press as a two-seat “light civilian airplane” took off from the Laconia Airport for a pleasure flight over the area.  The pilot was a 23-year-old Army Air Force 2nd lieutenant due to be discharged on August 29th.   His passenger was a 22-year-old local girl whom he’d know since they were children. 

     After circling the town of Gilford, they flew over the female passenger’s home, and then over the pilot’s home.  While passing low over the pilot’s home the aircraft’s right wing struck the top of a tall tree about twenty-five feet from the house.  The impact tore the wing off and the plane crashed into a wooded section across the street and exploded in flame.   Neither occupant survived. 

     The crash was witnessed by the pilot’s mother.   

     Source: The Nashua Telegram, “Two Killed In Laconia Plane Crash”, July 23, 1945, page 12.  

 

Nashua, N.H. – February 8, 1940

Nashua, New Hampshire – February 8, 1940 

     On the afternoon of February 8, 1940, a “six-passenger cabin-type” airplane left Boston Airport with a pilot and three passengers aboard.  The flight was bound for Nashua, where the pilot expected to pick up his wife and return to Boston.  While in route, the aircraft’s motor began to run erratically and the pilot began searching for a place to land.  However, the problem then corrected itself, and the pilot continued towards the Nashua Municipal Airport.  As  the aircraft was making its approach the engine suddenly lost all power.  Realizing he couldn’t make the airport, he retracted the wheels and made an emergency crash-landing on the Bullard Farm a short distance from the airport.  

     Upon hitting the ground the aircraft skidded across an open field taking down several small trees and crashing into a stone wall.  There was no fire afterward.  Witnesses to the crash, which included the pilot’s wife, raced to the scene.  The pilot and one of the passengers suffered serious head injuries, from which it was believed they would recover from.  The other two passengers where only slightly hurt. 

     The cause of the crash was presumed to be carburetor icing.    

      Source:

     The Nashua Telegram, “Airplane Crash Blame Is Places Upon Carburetor”, February 9, 1940, page 1. 

Richmond, N.H. – August 13, 1984

Richmond, New Hampshire – August 13, 1984

     At 6:45 p.m. on the evening of August 13, 1984, a single-engine Piper Malibu, (N4323G), with a lone pilot aboard left Westerly (R.I.) Airport bound for Keene, New Hampshire.  While in-route, the aircraft went down in foggy weather while passing over the town of Richmond, N.H..  Rescue crews found the wreckage around 11:00 a.m. the following morning in a wooded area, about one mile in from Route 119, just over the Massachusetts-New Hampshire state line. The pilot did not survive.

     Sources:

     The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), “Westerly Doctor Killed In Crash”, August 14, 1984, page 1   

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Westerly Psychiatrist Killed In N.H. Air Crash”, August 14, 1984, page C-2

     Aviation Safety Network, Wikibase #37533.

 

Mount Monadnock – February 3, 1984

Mount Monadnock – February 3, 1984

Jaffrey, N.H.

     On February 3, 1983, a chartered twin-engine Cessna 402, (N6814G), left Morristown, New Jersey, with a crew of two, and “four or five” passengers.  The flight was bound for Concord Airport in New Hampshire.  The flight arrived safely, and the passengers were discharged.  At about 5:30 p.m., the aircraft took off from Concord for the return trip to New Jersey.  While in-route the aircraft crashed into the side of Mount Monadnock near the summit of the 3,165 foot tall mountain.  Both crewmen were killed on impact.

     A signal from the aircraft’s electronic locator was picked up around 6:00 p.m. by satellite at Scott Air Force Base in Ill.  Searchers were hampered by rain and fog, but reached the crash site 18 hours later.

     Source:

     The Sun, (Westerly, R. I.), “Plane Hits Mountain; Two Dead”, February 6, 1984, page 3.   

Concord, N.H. – August 4, 1982

Concord, New Hampshire – August 4, 1982

     In the early morning hours of August 4, 1982, a single-engine Piper PA-28 with a pilot and passenger aboard left Groton, Connecticut, bound for Concord, New Hampshire. Thick fog and low cloud cover surrounded the Concord area.  At about 4:15 a.m., as the aircraft was approaching Concord Airport, it crashed and burned in a thickly wooded area several miles for the airport.     

     A resident of the area heard the plane pass low over his home and then crash.  He alerted authorities, but due to poor visibility, it took rescue workers more than an hour to reach the crash site. 

     The passenger was found to have died in the crash.  The severely injured pilot was found a few feet from the wreckage and transported to a medical facility.  He succumbed to his injuries about three weeks later.  

     Sources:

     The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), “Mystic Pilot Injured In fatal Plane Crash”, August 5, 1982, page 5.  

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Victim Of N.H. Air Crash”, August 28, 1982, Page A-15

North Baldface Mountain, N.H. – August 2, 1982

North Baldface Mountain,

Bean’s Purchase, New Hampshire

 

     On the afternoon of August 2, 1982, a single-engine Piper Cherokee, (N5566F), left Laconia Airport bound for Portland, Maine, on what was to be a sight-seeing flight.  The pilot was a 28-year-old male, and his passenger was a 22-year-old female.

     The weather at the time was good, but as they flew in the vicinity of North Baldface Mountain they encountered thick clouds and a sudden thunderstorm which caused them to crash about one-thousand feet below the 3,570 foot summit of the mountain.  The mountain is located near the New Hampshire-Maine border in a township known as Bean’s Purchase.    

     The aircraft clipped off a few tree tops before impacting the side of the mountain and catching fire. The female passenger was thrown clear and suffered a broken shoulder.  The pilot was killed instantly. 

     The woman now found herself alone in the wilderness without any way to call for help, and without any survival provisions.  She had also lost her shoes in the crash, and was barefoot.  With no food or shelter, she decided to hike down the mountain.  At some point she came to the Wild River and began following it downstream.  Twenty-four hours after the accident she stumbled into a riverside campground about nine miles from the crash site.  People there tended to her until an ambulance arrived and took the woman to a medical facility for treatment.

     Searchers then began looking for the missing aircraft, and located it the following day and recovered the pilot. 

     Source:

     Providence Sunday Journal, “A Woman Fights Her Way Through New Hampshire Wilderness To Escape Death”, August 8, 1982, page 1, and A-16      

 

Richmond, N.H. – September 7, 1981

Richmond, New Hampshire – September 7, 1981

     On September 7, 1981, a single-engine Gulfstream American AA-1B, (N1446R), with a husband and wife aboard, left Bar Harbor, Maine, bound for Dillant-Hopkins Airport in Keene, New Hampshire, and disappeared in-route.  The wreckage of the aircraft was found two days later along a ridge in Richmond, about six miles from the airport.  The aircraft had broken apart and burned on impact killing both occupants instantly.       

     Sources:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Two Dead In Crash”, September 10, 1981, page 7.  

     Aviation Safety Network, #9714

Moultonborough, N.H. – August 20, 1978

Moultonborough, New Hampshire – August 20, 1978

     On August 20, 1978, a small single-engine aircraft with two men aboard was landing at Moultonborough, (aka Moultonboro), Airport when the plane ran off the end of the runway and collided with a parked pick-up truck, tearing a wing off the plane.  The plane came to rest in a ditch. 

     Source:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Plane Overshoots Runway, Running Into Parked car”, August 21, 1978, page B-2   

Temple Mountain, N.H. – August 8, 1976

Temple Mountain, New Hampshire – August 8, 1976

     On August 8, 1976, a red and white Piper Tri-Pacer airplane with a lone 60-year-old pilot from Goffstown, N.H. aboard, left Caribou, Maine, bound for Manchester, New Hampshire.  While in-route the aircraft entered cloud bank and crashed on Temple Mountain. (The mountain is located in the towns of Sharon and Temple, New Hampshire.) The aircraft struck some trees and flipped over but the pilot was strapped in and escaped without injury. 

     The aircraft didn’t burn, which enabled the pilot to use it for shelter.

     The pilot was forced to remain with the aircraft for the next three days, during which the remnants of Hurricane Belle came through the area.  The man survived by eating peanuts and some fruit that he’d brought with him.  He also read a Bible, and prayed for rescue.  

     On the third day, after the rain had stopped, he used the plane’s battery, gasoline, and seat material to start a roaring signal fire.  He was rescued by a Coast Guard Helicopter after his signal fire had been seen.

     It is unknown if the aircraft was recovered.

     Sources:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Plane Hits Mountain; Pilot Fine”, August 12, 1976, Page A-3 

     Westerly Sun, (RI), “60-Year-Old Waits Out Belle In Wrecked Plane”, August 12, 1976, Page 6.

Rye, N.H. – August 20, 1975

Rye, New Hampshire – August 20, 1975

     On the afternoon of August 20, 1975, a Cessna 150 with two men aboard left Bar Harbor, Maine, bound for Beverly, Massachusetts.  While in-route the aircraft developed engine trouble and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about two miles from Rye Harbor.  Both men were uninjured, and rescued by a passing pleasure boat. 

     Source:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Plane Down At Sea; 2 Rescued”, August 21, 1975, page A-6   

 

Milan, N.H. – April 10, 1975

Milan, New Hampshire – April 10, 1975

     On April 10, 1975, a single-engine aircraft was passing about a mile north of Milan, New Hampshire, as one of the occupants prepared for a sky-diving jump.  Aboard the aircraft was a pilot, a sky diving instructor, and a 20-year-old woman who was to make her first parachute descent.   After the woman jumped, she was carried over the Androscoggin River and came down in the swift moving waters.  

     The pilot immediately attempted to set the aircraft down in a field near the river and crash-landed in the process, but neither the pilot nor the instructor were injured.  Both ran to the river where the instructor rescued the woman from the water.  When brought ashore she wasn’t breathing, but after administering artificial respiration the woman was revived and was transported to Berlin Hospital.  

     Source:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Brush With Death”, April 11, 1975, page A-9.

Mt. Tecumseh, N.H. – September 8, 1975

Mt. Tecumseh, New Hampshire, September 8, 1975

     On the evening of September 8, 1975, two Maryland men took off in a Cessna 172, (Reg. No. N1318F), from Bethesda, Maryland, bound for Laconia, New Hampshire.  While over New Hampshire they encountered heavy fog conditions, and crashed into a wooded area on Mt. Tecumseh between two trails of the Waterville Valley ski area.   The aircraft hit at the 3,100 foot level of the 4,000 foot high mountain, and was demolished by the impact, but remarkably both men were thrown clear of the wreckage and survived.  One suffered a fractured ankle.

     At 11:00 p.m. that evening, the wife of one of the men notified authorities that her husband’s plane was overdue.

     Both men remained on the mountain overnight, and at first light on September 9th, one man was able to make his way down the mountain and seek help.  A rescue party made their way to the crash site and brought the second man down.  Both men were treated at a hospital in Plymouth, N.H.     

     Source:

     Boston Globe, “Mountain Plane Crash Victim Walks For Help”, September 9, 1975

Mason, N.H. – March 12, 1975

Mason, New Hampshire – March 12, 1975

     At 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 1975, a blue and white Cessna 150, (N8273S), took off from Trumbull Airport in Groton, Connecticut, bound for Brainard Airfield in East Hartford.  (Today Trumbull Airport is known as Groton-New London Airport.)  The weather at the time was poor, and consisted of a heavy low cloud cover.  The pilot was a 35-year-old man from Bloomfield, Ct.  With him was an 18-year-old female passenger from Norwich, Ct.  When the plane never arrived at Brainard Field it was declared “missing” and a search was begun.  

     The search lasted for five days, but no trace of the missing aircraft was found.  It was called off on March 18. 

     On March 23, 1975, two men came upon the wreckage of the missing plane while walking along a fire road in Mason, New Hampshire.  The plane’s wings were ripped away, and the fuselage was crushed.  The bodies of the missing couple were found inside.  

     Mason is a town that borders Townsend, Massachusetts.

     Sources:

     Norwich Bulletin, “Search Underway For Missing Plane”, March 13, 1975

     Norwich Bulletin, “Police Find Ross, Girl Dead”, March 24, 1975

     Norwich Bulletin, “Plane crash Victims Warned Against Poor Weather Takeoff”, March 25, 1975. (With photo of crash scene.)

 

 

 

North Conway, N.H. – August 21, 1975

North Conway, New Hampshire – August 21, 1975 

     On August 21, 1975, a 27-year old man took off from Mount Cranmore in a hang glider.  At one point during the flight, the glider was caught in a sudden wind gust and sent crashing to the ground on the southern slope of the mountain.  The pilot was transported to North Conway Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

     Source:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Hang Glider Pilot Killed On Cranmore”, August 22, 1975

Winchester, N.H. – August 15, 1966

Winchester, New Hampshire – August 15, 1966

     On August 15, 1966, a small aircraft with a father and his 19-year-old son aboard, left Buffalo, New York, bound for Keene, New Hampshire.  As the aircraft was passing over the town of Winchester, New Hampshire, it struck the guy wire to a 600 foot television antenna situated on Gun Mountain.  The impact occurred about 500 feet from the ground.  Search teams found the wreckage of the plane about 1,000 feet from the base of the tower.  Neither of the two men aboard had survived.  Both were from Dallas, Texas.

     Source:

     New London Day, “Plane Hits Tower, Crashes; Two Are Killed”, August 17, 1966.

 

Sanbornton, N.H. – October 8, 1982

Sanbornton, New Hampshire – October 8, 1982

     Shortly before 9:30 p.m. on the night of October 8, 1982, a single-engine Piper Cherokee with four persons aboard was approaching Laconia Municipal Airport in a rainstorm when it suddenly disappeared from radar.  A search was begun, and the aircraft was located the following day in a thickly wooded section of the neighboring town of Sanbornton.  All four people aboard perished in the crash.

     Source:

     Providence Sunday Journal, “N.H. Airplane Crash Kills 4 In Rainstorm”, October 10, 1982.    

Concord, NH- August 28, 1901

Concord, New Hampshire – August 28, 1901

     On August 28, 1901, an aeronaut named Stevens, was giving a balloon exhibition at the Concord State Fair.  According to a newspaper article, Stevens was shot from a cannon while descending in his balloon, the logistics of which are not explained.  The balloon and cannon fell upon some electrical wires running from the city’s power plant causing a blackout. 

     A lineman named Harry Quint attempted to make repairs and was subsequently electrocuted. 

     Although the following had nothing to do with the balloon accident, it was also mentioned that a 12-year-old boy named William Sheehan was killed by a train as he walked along the tracks near where the fair was taking place.

Source” New York Times, “Trouble Follows Mrs. Eddy”, August 29, 1901    

Near Claremont, NH – December 14, 1946

Near Claremont, New Hampshire – December 14, 1946

     On the evening of December 14, 1946, a chartered Dartmouth Airways flight was en-route from New York to Lebanon, New Hampshire, when it encountered snow squalls and turned towards Claremont when it crashed into the side of Twistback Hill. 

     The injured included four passengers and the pilot.

     Joseph F. Shields – Pilot

     Clara Livingston, of Jamestown, N.Y.

     Margaret McLaughlin, of Bridgeport, CT.  

     James and Douglas Ketchel of St. Johnsbury, VT.

     Source: New York Times, “5 Hurt In Plane Crash”, December 15, 1946

    

 

Harrisville, NH – September 7, 1939

Harrisville, New Hampshire – September 7, 1939

     On September 7, 1939, a Stimson airplane crashed in the woods of Harrisville, New Hampshire, killing the pilot George A. Thorne Jr., 37, of Chicago.  The subsequent fire burned several acres of woodland.  Investigators were unable to determine the cause of the crash.

     Thorne had been a member of the Admiral Byrd Expedition to the Antarctic in 1929, where he served as a surveyor and dog-team driver.  He had hoped to accompany Byrd on another expedition in the not too distant future.     

Source: New York Times, “G.A. Thorne Jr. Dies In Airplane Crash”, September 8, 1939

Kearsarge Mountain, N.H. – Aug. 19, 1960

Kearsarge Mountain, N.H. – Aug. 19, 1960

On August 19, 1960, a single engine plane with three men aboard left Montpelier, Vermont bound for Manchester, New Hampshire, and disappeared.  Thunderstorms had been raging along the flight route, and it was assumed the plane had crashed, however dense foliage made it difficult to find the wreck. 

On November 6th the wreckage of the missing plane was discovered on the east slope of Kearsarge Mountain, about 20 miles north of Concord.  The bodies of two men, Charles MacFarland, and William E. Martin, were found at and near the scene.   A Medical Examiner determined that Martin had initially survived the crash, and managed to make it several hundred yards from the wreckage before he died.   The body of the third man, Oliver Newcomb was missing. 

Searchers found Newcomb’s body the following day about a mile from the crash site.  He had left a farewell not to his family on the back of a card in his wallet.     

Sources:

New York Times, “Plane With 2 Dead Found On Mountain”, November 7, 1960

Lewiston Evening Journal, “Renew Search For Body Of Plane Victim”, November 7, 1960

Lewiston Evening Journal, “Recover Third Body In Kearsarge Plane crash”, November 8, 1960 

 

 

Hendersonville, N.H. – July 18, 1926

Hendersonville, N.H. – July 18, 1926

A plane carrying three men crashed near Hendersonville, New Hampshire, killing two of them, and seriously injuring the third.  The dead were Robah Blanc, and Mack Colt, of Hendersonville. The injured pilot was C.D. Colquitt of Atlanta, Georgia.  He was expected to recover.

 

Source: New York Times, “2 Die in New Hampshire Plane Crash”, July 19, 1926 

 

Claremont, N.H. – October 10 1907

Sullivan County Fair Grounds Near Claremont, New Hampshire – October 10, 1907.

     A balloonist by the name of Professor Bonnette was giving an exhibition at the Sullivan County Fair grounds when his balloon suddenly tore open as he was 200 feet above a crowd of onlookers.  It had been his intention to jump from the balloon with a parachute, but when the accident occurred he hadn’t achieved sufficient altitude.  Bonnette fell from the balloon while it was still 100 feet in the air and landed amidst the crowd.  His back was broken in the fall, and he lapsed into unconsciousness.  He was transported to Claremont Cottage Hospital. 

Source: New York Times, “Aeronaut Falls 100 Feet”, October 11, 1907   

Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H. – July 28, 1973

Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire – July 28, 1973

     On the afternoon of July 28, 1973, three teenagers, ranging in age from 15 to 18, took off from Laconia Airport in a Piper Cherokee and crashed just afterwards in Lake Winnipesaukee.  The aircraft went down about a mile from the airport, off shore of the town of Gilford, N.H.  None of the teenagers survived.    

 

     Source:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Pilot, 16, Flew —— Plane; Crash Kills 3”, July 30, 1973 

Gilford, N.H. – October 13, 1974

Gilford, New Hampshire – October 13, 1974

     On October 13, 1974, a small plane with a family of four aboard was attempting to make an emergency landing at Guilford, New Hampshire when the plane struck a utility pole and a tree before coming to rest.  All four occupants suffered non-life threatening injuries and were treated at a nearby hospital. 

     Source: (Providence) Evening Bulletin, October 15, 1974, page B-8 

Temple Mountain, N.H. – October 26, 1973

Temple Mountain, New Hampshire – October 26, 1973

     On October 26, 1973, a 31-year-old pilot from Wilton, New Hampshire, took off alone from Norwood, Massachusetts, in an American Aviation AA-1, (N5700L), bound for Nashua, New Hampshire.   The weather over New Hampshire was foggy and rainy. When the aircraft failed to arrive at Nashua a search was instituted.  The aircraft and the pilot’s body were found two days later on the slope of 2,044 foot high Temple Mountain, which is located in the towns of Sharon and Temple, New Hampshire.

     Sources:

     Providence Journal, “Pilot Is killed In N. H. Crash”, October 28, 1973, page C-24

     National Transportation Safety Board brief# NYC74AN036

 

Francestown, N.H. – May 18, 1973

Francestown, New Hampshire – May 18, 1973

     On the morning of May 18, 1973, a Cessna 205, with only a pilot aboard, left Bridgeport, Connecticut, bound for Concord, New Hampshire.  At 8:30 a.m., the aircraft suddenly disappeared from radar and a search was instituted.  The wrecked aircraft was spotted from the air by a New Hampshire Civil Air Patrol aircraft in a wooded area of the town of Francestown, N.H.  The pilot was found dead at the scene. 

     Sources:

     Providence Journal, “Plane Vanishes On Flight To Concord, N.H.”, May 19, 1973.

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Plane Wreckage Is Spotted In N. H. Woods”, May 19, 1973. 

 

Nashua Airport, N.H. – January 14, 1973

Nashua Airport,

Nashua, New Hampshire – January 14, 1973

     At about 10:00 a.m. on January 14, 1973, two single-engine private aircraft collided when they attempted to land simultaneously at Nashua Airport.   The first plane, a Piper Cherokee, (N595FL), piloted by a man from Lowell, Massachusetts, landed first.  Seconds later the second airplane, a Cessna 150, (N4239U), piloted by a man from Nashua, came down atop of the first, its propeller and landing gear intruding into the first aircraft.  The impact forced the nose of the first plane downward scraping it along the runway.  The pilot of the first aircraft was not seriously injured.

      Source:

     Providence Journal, “Plane Crashes Atop Another; One Pilot Hurt.”, January 15, 1973, p1 (With photo of accident.)

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “One Plane Lands Atop Another In Nashua”, January 15, 1973, p1  (With photo of accident.)

Saddleback Mountain, NH – May 28, 1973

Saddleback Mountain, New Hampshire – May 28, 1973 

     At 11:30 a.m., on Monday, May 28, 1971, a single-engine, yellow and white, Piper Cherokee, took off from a grassy field at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont, bound for Rutland, Vermont, and disappeared en-route. 

     The pilot was George Delmar, 25, a racing car driver from Walpole, Massachusetts, who had arrived at the track to participate in the races held over the weekend.  

     It was reported that Mr. Delmar had experienced a slight accident with the aircraft upon his first attempt to take off, causing minor damage to the propeller and one of the wings.  Despite this, he took a second time and set a course for Rutland. 

     The weather at the time was described as “extremely poor”.  At some point Mr. Delmar radioed the tower at Rutland Airport and advised he’d decided not to land there, and was going “home” to Massachusetts instead.  No further communications were reported in the press.

     On Tuesday morning Rutland officials were notified that Delmar and his aircraft were missing and a search was instituted.  Initially one aircraft was sent to search the estimated flight route, but was forced to abort due to heavy winds and driving rain.

     Later in the day the Civil Air Patrol joined the search while state police cruisers were directed to check rural mountain roads for the downed aircraft. 

     The Civil Air Patrol flew 113 sorties over a five day period utilizing 25 aircraft and one helicopter, but no sign of the missing plane was found, and the search was suspended.

     The missing aircraft was discovered on Saddleback Mountain in  New Hampshire the following October by hikers from the University of New Hampshire.  Mr. Delmar’s remains were recovered.       

     Sources:

     The Burlington Free Press, “Search Begun For Aircraft Overdue At Rutland Airport”, May 30, 1973

     The Burlington Free Press, “State Officials Halt Search For Missing Plane”, June 4, 1973

     The Burlington Free Press, Dead Man Found In Wrecked Plane”, October 24, 1973

     Rutland Herald, “Missing Plane Found In New Hampshire”, October 24, 1973

    

       

Lebanon Airport, N.H. – May 31, 1955

Lebanon Airport, New Hampshire – May 31, 1955

 

     On May 31, 1955, Northeast Airlines Flight 568 was attempting to land on runway 18 at Lebanon Airport when the aircraft overshot the runway and went into a ditch located 57 feet from the end of the runway.  It was raining at the time of the accident.  Although the aircraft received substantial damage, the passengers and crew were uninjured.

     The aircraft was a DC-3, with registration number N19942.

     Source: Civil Aeronautics Board Accident Investigation Report, file number 1-0074, adopted August 26, 1955, released August 31, 1955. 

Mt. Success, N.H. – November 30, 1954

Mt. Success, New Hampshire – November 30, 1954

Updated June 20, 2018

DC-3 Airliner

DC-3 Airliner

     On November 30, 1954, Northeast Airlines Flight 792 departed from Boston’s Logan Airport bound for Berlin, New Hampshire, with stops at Concord and Laconia, New Hampshire.  The aircraft was a DC-3, (registration N17891).

    Just after 11:00 a.m. the flight contacted the air traffic controller at Berlin Airport and requested weather information.  The crew was advised that the weather was 3,000 feet overcast, with 2.5 mile visibility, and light snow showers.  

     As the plane was making a wide circle in preparation for landing it suddenly encountered turbulent weather and a severe downdraft, which caused it to loose 500 feet of altitude and crash into the summit of Mt. Success.  Although the plane suffered heavy damage, the fuselage remained largely intact.

     There were seven people aboard; three passengers and a crew of four.  Two of the crew, the co-pilot, George McCormick, 37, and flight superintendent John McNulty, 39, both of Boston, were unconscious and died of injuries about two hours later. The pilot, Peter Carey, 37, was seriously injured.  The three passengers, James W. Harvey, William Miller, and Daniel Hall, as well as the flight attendant, Mary McEttrick, 23, each suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

     The aircraft’s left engine was discovered to be burning, and for the next two hours the passengers carried snow on food trays to douse the flames.     

     At 11:28 a.m. the air traffic controller in Berlin tried to contact Flight 792 and received no reply.   A search and rescue operation was initiated, but deteriorating weather conditions hampered efforts. 

     The crash site was at 3,440 feet, and it was initially concealed by low cloud cover that extended down to 2,500 feet, and therefore wasn’t spotted from the air until December 2nd.

     For 45 hours the survivors battled cold and hunger.  The pilot, although seriously injured, supervised survival measures.  It was snowing, and the temperature dropped below freezing.  Survivors wrapped themselves with anything available including cabin insulation, curtains, and soundproofing material to stay warm.  The passengers opened their suitcases and distributed extra clothing to the crew. 

     There was nothing to eat but a few crackers, cookies, and tea.  After collecting some wood, a small fire was built for warmth and to brew the tea.  Miss McEttrick was credited by the passengers for keeping everyone’s spirits up while waiting for rescue, and they gave her the nickname, “Merry Mack”.   

     After the wreckage was seen from the air on December 2nd, an Air Force helicopter was dispatched to the site from Grenier Air Force Base in Manchester, New Hampshire, and lowered a doctor to treat the survivors.  All were flown one at a time to Berlin Airport.

     The wreckage of Flight 792 was left were it fell, and today is visited and photographed by hikers.

      

     Sources:

     Civil Aeronautics Board Accident Investigation Report, file # 1-0226, adopted July 29, 1955, released August 3, 1955 

     Burlington Free Press, “Northeast Airplane Missing Over N.H.”, December 1, 1954, page 1.  

     Burlington Free Press, “Plucky Hostess On Crash Plane Wins Nickname of Merry Mack”, December 2, 1954

     Unknown newspaper, “Hall Is Last Of Survivors To leave Hospital After Checkup Of Injuries; He and Stewardess Highly Praised”, December 9, 1954

     Unknown Newspaper, “Survivors Of Crash Praise Merry Mac”, unknown date.

     Unknown newspaper, “Start Probe of Northeast Plane Crash”, unknown date

     Unknown newspaper, “Five Survive Crash Of Northeast Plane”, December 2, 1954

 

Mt. Randolph, N.H. – December 27, 1998

Mt. Randolph, New Hampshire – December 27, 1998

 

    At 7:35 p.m., on December 27, 1998, a rented Piper Arrow with two New Jersey men aboard took off from Berlin Airport in Milan, New Hampshire, and headed south.  The aircraft climbed to 5,600 feet and shortly afterwards disappeared from radar.  The following morning a search and rescue mission was organized by the New Hampshire State Police, Civil Air Patrol, National Guard, and the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department.

     The plane had an emergency transponder, but due to the signal bouncing off nearby mountains it was initially difficult to pinpoint the source.  The wreckage was located on Mt. Randolph by a National Guard helicopter at about 10:30 a.m. on the 28th.  A medical technician lowered to the site found both men deceased.   

     Source: Nashua Telegraph, “Two N.J. Men Die As Plane Crashes On Mountainside”, December 29, 1998

Smart’s Mountain, N.H. – September 20, 1971

Smart’s Mountain, New Hampshire – September 20, 1971 

     This accident involved both military and civilian aircraft. 

     On Monday evening, September 20, 1971, a twin-engine Piper Apache took off from Portland, Maine, bound for Lebanon, New Hampshire.  The plane arrived near Lebanon shortly after 8:00 p.m., where thick fog shrouded the area.  As the aircraft was making its approach to Lebanon Airport, it crashed into the side of Smart’s Mountain.  The mountain is about 3,240 feet high, and the aircraft impacted about 1,500 feet from the summit.    

     There were three people aboard, Jeanne Bennett, 47, of Post Mills, Vermont, and Hans Klunder, 42, and Robert E. Stewart, 27.  Mrs. Benet was killed, and Klunder and Stewart were seriously injured.  The men managed to build a fire, the smoke of which attracted rescuers to their location. 

     It was reported that all three aboard the aircraft were pilots, and it was unclear as to who was flying the plane at the time of the crash.  

     A New Hampshire National Guard helicopter arrived at the scene and two guardsmen prepared to repel down a rope to assist the survivors.  The first guardsman landed safely, but the second, Specialist 6 Frederick Bartlett, 33, of Manchester, N.H., fell and was killed.    

     The survivors were brought down the mountain in a motorized vehicle and transferred to Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, N.H.

     Source:

     Nashua Telegraph, “Rescuer Killed In Fall At Airplane Crash Site.” September 22, 1971.

Manchester, N.H. – June 18, 1998

Manchester, New Hampshire – June 18, 1998

     At approximately 11:15 a.m. on June 18, 1998, a 1950s vintage British Hawker Hunter military jet aircraft (Civil Tail # N745WT) crashed in a sandpit off Frontage Road in Manchester, New Hampshire, about 1.5 miles from Manchester Airport.  The pilot, Col. John Childress, 50, of Columbia, South Carolina, ejected moments before the crash, but did not survive.  No other persons were aboard at the time of the accident, and there was no explosion or fire after the crash.  

      When the engine flamed out, Col. Childress stayed with the aircraft and waited to eject so as to direct it away from nearby businesses and houses.       

     The recently restored aircraft owned by an aviation business at Manchester Airport reportedly hadn’t flown since the 1950s. 

     The cause of the crash was later determined to be lack of fuel due to faulty readings of the fuel gauges.

     Col. Childers was an Air national Guard advisor at Shaw Air Force base in South Carolina.   

    Sources:

     The Telegraph, “Vintage Jet Crashes; Pilot Dead”, June 19, 1998

     The Item, (S.C.) “Shaw Pilot Out Of Fuel”, June 21, 1998

     Aviation Safety Newtork, Wikibase Occurrence ASN#40862

    

 

 

Nashua, N.H. – July 12, 1909

Nashua, New Hampshire – July 12, 1909

 

    balloon On July 12, 1909, a man identified as Albert Patenaud of Haverhill, Massachusetts, made a balloon ascension at Nashua with the intent of jumping from the balloon using a parachute.  After the balloon rose several hundred feet it suddenly began to drop.  As it was coming down,  Patnaud jumped, but his chute didn’t open in time to safely slow his rate of fall and he made a hard landing on the roof of a house seriously injuring his leg.  The balloon, meanwhile, came down on the roof of a barn on Beckley Street. 

     Patenaud was taken to a hospital where doctors set and put a cast on the leg.  Undaunted by his scrape with death, Patenaud announced he would try again the following day.  

     Professor Patenaud made another ascension over Nashua on the evening of July 14th, again with the intention of using a parachute.  The balloon rose to an altitude of 3,000 feet, but Patenaud was unable to cut the parachute loose.  After a few minutes the balloon began to drop and the aeronaut was forced to descend with it.  The envelope was torn open when the balloon hit the sharp edge of a roof of a home on Vine Street.  Patenaud was unhurt in this instance.    

     Source:

     The Barre Daily Times, (Vermont), “Aeronaut Dropped Two Hundred feet”, July 13, 1909 

     Nashua Telegraph, (N.H.) “Big Crowd Attends Carnival Features”, July 15, 1909

Mount Kearsarge, N.H. – January 24, 1962

Mount Kearsarge, New Hampshire – January 24, 1962

Warner, New Hampshire

     On the night of January 24, 1962, a twin-engine Piper Apache aircraft crashed into the snow covered top of Mount Kearsarge, within the town of Warner, New Hampshire.   All three men aboard were killed. 

     The dead were identified as:

     Rod Rickard, 27, of Ottawa, Canada

     John Rhude, 37, of Ottawa, Canada.

     Jacob K. Frederick, Jr., 47.  He was well known for his position as head of the textile evaluation department at Lowell, Massachusetts, Technological Institute.    

     Source: New York Times, “Victims In New Hampshire” , January 27, 1962

     

Wilmont, N.H. – September 8, 1984

     Wilmont, New Hampshire – September 8, 1984

 

     On Saturday, September 8, 1984, a single engine plane with two men aboard took off from Eagles Nest Airstrip in New London, New Hampshire.  The plane belonged to the Kearsarge Soaring Club and was used to tow gliders.  The purpose of the flight was to scout locations suitable for gliders to land.  As the plane was circling an area at the base of Mount Kearsarge it suddenly went into a spin and crashed.  Both men were killed.

     The dead were identified as:

     Andrew Stauble, 30, of Mason, New Hampshire.

     Howard Bishop III, of Concord, New Hampshire.  

     Source: The Peterborough Transcript, “Mason Man, In Kearsarge Plane Crash”, September 13, 1984, Pg. 2 

Littleton, N.H. – July 19, 1931

Littleton, New Hampshire – July 19, 1931

     On Sunday, July 19, 1931, a small airplane carrying two men crashed in the town of Littleton.  The pilot, Ralph F. Arey, 21, of Concord, N.H., was severely injured and rendered unconsciousness.  He was transported to Littleton Hospital where he died the following night without ever regaining consciousness.  The other man, Joseph Bianthi, of Montpelier, Vermont, was also injured, but he recovered.

     Source: New York Times, “New Hampshire Air Crash Fatal”, July 22, 1931    

 

Portsmouth, N.H. – April 27, 1930

Portsmouth, New Hampshire – April 27, 1930 

     On April 27, 1930, pilot Clyde Robinson took Geneva Brackett, and Bruce Hessler, both 14, on their first plane ride over the Portsmouth area.  The youths enjoyed the flight so much that later in the day they wanted to fly again.  Later that same day the three took off from the Hessler farm in the neighboring town of Greenland, but at some point the aircraft developed mechanical trouble and the engine stalled, and Robinson couldn’t restart it. 

     He brought the plane down for an emergency landing on a roadway, but just before touch-down one of the wings clipped a tree sending the craft crashing into the ground where it erupted in flames.  Robinson was thrown clear by the impact, but the youths were trapped inside.  Robinson received severe burns on his face, arms, and upper body, during his unsuccessful attempt to rescue his passengers.      

     Source: New York Times, “Two Children Killed In New Hampshire When Plane Falls And Burns”, April 28, 1930

Randolph, N.H. – August 24, 1974

Randolph, New Hampshire – August 24, 1974

     On August 24, 1974, a Cessna 340 crashed into the north side of Mt. Adams killing both people aboard.  The dead were identified as Vernon Titcomb, 56, and his wife, Jean, 53. 

     The couple was from California, and had flown cross-country.  Before the accident, they had stopped at Whitefield Regional Airport a.k.a. Mt. Washington Regional Airport, to refuel before taking off again bound for Rockland, Maine.  Shortly after take off, the pilot radioed he would be returning to the airport due to bad weather. 

     Sources:

     New York Times, “2 Die In Plane Crash”, August 27, 1974       

     Stories From The White Mountains: Celebrating The Regions Historic Past, by Mike Dickerman, History Press, 2013

Mt. Washington, N.H. – November 29, 1969

Mt. Washington, New Hampshire – November 29, 1969

     At 7 a.m. on November 29, 1969, a green and white Cessna 172 with three men aboard took off from Portland, Maine, bound for Burlington, Vermont.  Two of the men aboard were dressed in Santa Claus suits, for the purpose of the flight was to have them drop by parachute over two malls in the Burlington area.     

     The aircraft disappeared in a snow storm while n-route, and a search and rescue operation was begun.  Dense woods, snow cover, and the Cessna’s green and white paint scheme made seeing the plane from the air difficult. The wreckage was finally spotted on December 2, on Boott Spur, at the 5,500 foot level of Mt. Washington.  When rescuers reached the area they found all three men had been killed in the crash.   

     The dead were identified as:

     (Pilot) Kenneth Ward, Jr., 20, of Augusta, Maine.

     Paul Ross, of South Portland, Maine.

     Cliff Phillips, of Island Pond, Vermont.

     Sources:

     Lewiston Daily Sun, “Plane Carrying Three, Piloted By Monmouth Man, Is Sought In N.H.”, December 1, 1969 

     Lewiston Daily Sun, (Photograph with caption.) “Arrow Points To Where Plane Crashed on Mt. Washington”, December 3, 1969  

     (Fla.) St. Petersburg Times, “Santa Claus Parachutists Die In Crash”, December 3, 1969

Mt. Washington, N.H. – March 21, 1971

Mt. Washington, New Hampshire – March 21, 1971

     On March 21, 1971, a husband and wife were killed when their small private aircraft crashed near the summit of Mt. Washington after encountering fog conditions.  The aircraft came down in a flat area where it sheared its wings before flipping over.    

     The couple were identified as Thomas Hennessy Jr., 54, and his wife Irehne (Irene), 47, both of Wellesley, Massachusetts.  Mrs. Hennessy was a model and television personality, best known for being the “Hi neighbor” girl for the then Rhode Island based Narragansett Beer company. 

     It was also reported that three other persons lost their lives in another plane crash which happened in the same area in December, 1969.

     Sources:

     Nashua Telegraph, “Bodies Of Wellesley Couple Found In Airplane Wreckage”, March 23, 1971 

     Nashua Telegraph, “Authorities Seek Cause Of Plane Crash”, March 24,1971 

     Nashua Telegraph, “Adverse Weather Ruled In 1971 Light Plane Crash”, August 24, 1972

    

Mt. Washington, N.H. – October 2, 1990

Mt. Washington, New Hampshire – October 2, 1990

     At 3:21 a.m. on October 2, 1990, a Cessna 172 aircraft carrying three men took off from Syracuse, New York, bound for Bangor, Maine.  At 4:44 a.m., the plane disappeared from radar and flew into the north side of Mt. Washington.   The mountain is 6, 288 feet high, and it was reported that had the aircraft been just 30 feet higher it would have cleared the mountain. 

     Wreckage was scattered over several hundred feet in a difficult area to access.  Searchers were further hampered by strong winds and bad weather. 

     All three men were killed in the crash.  Two were identified as Jimmy Fred Jones, 33, and Stewart Eames, 27, both of Forth Worth, Texas.   The bodies were brought down the mountain in the Cog Railway train that brings tourists up and down the mountain.

Sources:

Nashua Telegraph, “Small Plane Crashes Into Mt. Washington”, October 10, 1990 

(North Conway N.H.) The Reporter, “Plane Crash Kills Three”, October 10, 1990 

Bangor Daily News, “Mt. Washington’s Cog Railway To Carry Bodies Of Texas Men Killed In Plane Crash”, October 4, 1990

Dorchester, NH – December 24, 1996

Dorchester, New Hampshire – December 24, 1996

     On the morning of December 24, 1996, a Learjet 35-A  (N388LS) was in-route from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Lebanon Municipal Airport in New Hampshire with two men in their 30s aboard.  As the aircraft was making its approach to the airport the pilot aborted the landing and circled around for a second try.  Shortly afterward all contact was lost and the plane vanished.  There had been no distress call.

     What came next was the longest search for a missing aircraft in the state’s history, lasting nearly three years.  It was assumed the plane had crashed, and thousands of volunteers turned out to search, but nothing was found.  (The aircraft did not have an emergency locator transmitter aboard.)  Dedicated volunteers continued to scour the wilderness long after the search had officially been called off. 

     The Learjet’s wreckage was finally located near Smarts Mountain on November 13, 1999, roughly 20 miles from the airport.  The plane had disintegrated on impact spreading debris over a large area which was one reason it was so hard to locate.  

     Source:

     Baltimore Sun, “Mystery Of Learjet Finally Reveals Itself”, December 12, 1999, By Ernest Imhoff.

Rochester, N.H. – September 26, 1912

Rochester, New Hampshire – September 26, 1912

     On September 26, 1912, Boston aviator Phillips W. Page was scheduled to give a flight exhibition at a fair in Rochester before a crowd of 25,000 people.  However, as Page was taking off, and had reached an altitude of barely 25 feet, a sudden gust of wind tipped the plane causing a wing to drop and strike a fence near the reviewing stand.  The plane hit the ground and was smashed to pieces.  As dozens of people rushed over to be of assistance, Page crawled out from underneath, shaken and bruised, but wearing a smile.    

     Page had survived a previous accident on December 9, 1911, when he and a passenger received “a ducking” when the wing tip of their airplane hit the water off Marblehead, Massachusetts

     Phillips Ward Page (1885-1917) was an early New England aviator, and Harvard graduate.  One could say his career began when he took a job as Aviation Editor for the Boston Herald,  and in his capacity as editor took several plane trips around Boston.  He obtained his pilot’s license from the Wright Flying School in Dayton Ohio on October 25, 1911, and later became an instructor for the Burgess Company of Marblehead where he tested some of the newest Burgess-Curtis aircraft. 

     During World War I, Page served as a naval aviation instructor at Squantum Naval Base in Massachusetts, before going overseas.  Ensign Page died in the service of his country on  December 17, 1917, when the seaplane he was piloting crashed in the English Channel.    

     Sources:

     The Bare Daily Times, “Aviator Had A Fall”, September 27, 1912, Page 2.

     Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS) catalog – Phillips Ward Page

     Aero & Hydro magazine, “Activity Of Aviator And Builder” December 9, 1911, page 201

     Washington Times, “Ensign Page, D.C. Flyer, Killed In Accident Abroad”, December 20, 1917, Page 8

     Washington Times, “20 D.C. Men Gave Lives To Nation In Year Of War”, April 8, 1918

 

 

 

 

Moose Mountain, NH – October 25, 1968

Moose Mountain, New Hampshire – October 25, 1968

      

     At 5:42 p.m. on October 25, 1968, Northeast Airlines Flight 946 left Boston for Lebanon, and Montpelier, New Hampshire. The aircraft was a Fairchild Hiller FH – 227C, (Registration # N380NE) with thirty-nine passengers and a crew of three aboard; pilot, co-pilot, and a stewardess.

     The flight was originally scheduled to depart at 4:55 p.m., but there had been a delay in getting the aircraft to the gate for passenger loading.

     At 6:08 p.m., the flight was cleared for approach to Lebanon Airport.

clouds

     At 6:11 p.m., the crew notified the Lebanon Flight Service Station that they were on a standard instrument approach, and requested a Lebanon weather report. They were advised of overcast conditions and calm winds. This was the last communication with the aircraft. Not long afterwards the plane crashed on the north side of Moose Mountain about 8.2 nautical miles northeast of Lebanon Airport. The impact occurred about 57 feet below the summit.

     In the NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, (NSTB-AAR-70-7) one unidentified surviving passenger described the final moments leading up to the crash.

     “…As we approached Lebanon, the cloud cover had been gradually thinning and before we began our descent, ground had been visible in patches between the clouds for several minutes. On the early part of the descent, the ground continued to be visible. After the turn to the final approach, with the wheels down, we were flying between two nearly vertical cloud banks in the gentle smooth descent which I described in my prior statement.   There was no cloud directly below us, and the level of the base of the clouds at this point was slightly below the level of the aircraft so that the ground was clearly visible under the cloud to a substantial distance ahead and to the side. I was looking out and observed a pond and that the terrain had very few roads and no houses.

     As we continued our descent, I continued to observe and watched the slope of the ground rising ahead of us at about twenty degrees in the direction of the flight. We were so near the ground at this time that I could clearly see the individual trees which appeared fist size and began to look ahead in the direction of the flight for airport approach lights as I assumed that we must be very near the touch down point. I observed the rising ground until I suddenly lost all visibility as we had entered a cloud.

     After a few seconds in the cloud, I felt the initial impact which was gentle and seemed no more severe than a normal touch down. I do not remember any severe impact.”

     According to the report, other survivors described the impact as “smooth”, “not a crash, but more of a settling”, and “a rough landing”.

     Upon hitting the mountain, the plane plowed its way through trees and immediately caught fire after coming to rest. All ten of the survivors were seated in the rear of the aircraft, and managed to escape through the rear service door or by squeezing through openings in the fuselage. In all, seventeen people managed to escape the flames, but seven were fatally injured and succumbed to their injuries before help arrived. The injuries to the remaining survivors ranged from lacerations to broken bones.  

     Darkness, the remote location of the crash, combined with rain and freezing temperatures hindered rescue efforts. Those who could, made their way down the mountain on their own, while the rest were air lifted off by helicopter. The helicopters landed on the green at Dartmouth College, and from there the survivors were transported to Mary Hitchcock Hospital.

   The crash site is located at longitude 72 degrees, 8’.7 west, and latitude 43 degrees 43’.3 north, at an elevation of approximately 2, 237 feet.

     Sources:

     NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB-AAR-70-7

     New York Times, “32 of 42 On Plane Killed In New Hampshire Crash”, October 26, 1968

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Walpole, N.H. – January 17, 1937

North Walpole, New Hampshire – January 17, 1937

     On January 17, 1937, a small plane with two men aboard made an emergency landing in a field in North Walpole, New Hampshire.  The pilot was identified as Walter B. Switzer, 35, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, and his passenger was identified as Dr. Gustave Frank, of Springfield, Massachusetts.

     The day before, the pair had flown to Lyme, New Hampshire, where Mr. Switzer reportedly wanted to see a commercial landing field site.  On their way back they encountered foul weather and made the emergency landing. 

     At this point Mr. Frank got out of the plane and watched Mr. Switzer attempt to take off again, but the plane abruptly crashed into a clump of trees.  Mr. Switzer was pulled from the wreckage and taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.    

     Source: New York Times, “New Hampshire Crash Kills Jersey Airman”, January 18, 1937

 

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