Off Scituate, Massachusetts – February 6, 1940
On February 6, 1940, an army BT-9 trainer aircraft, (Ser. No. 38-251), with two men aboard, took off from Hyannis, Massachusetts, bound for Boston. As the plane was making its way to Boston ice began to quickly form on the wings. As the plane was passing off the coast of Scituate, Massachusetts, the pilot was forced to make an emergency water landing about a half-mile from shore. Both the pilot, Lt. Arthur Tappan, (27), and his mechanic, William Andrews, 23, escaped before the plane sank in 50 feet of water. Both men swam to a nearby rock and were rescued by a Coast Guard boat. Neither had suffered any serious injury.
Source:
Record-Journal, “Army Plane Forced Down In Bay, Occupants Rescued”, February 7, 1940, pg.9. (Article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.)
