Quonset Point Naval Air Station – September 20, 1951
F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo
At 11:30 p.m. on the night of September 20, 1951, a flight of four F4U Corsairs were returning to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station after a night navigational training flight, and were instructed to land on runway 19. The first two aircraft landed without incident. The third plane to land was Bu. No. 96936, which made a normal landing and was continuing its rollout towards the taxi area when the pilot noticed another F4U rushing up on him from behind. The other aircraft coming up from behind was the fourth plane in the flight, (Bu. No. 51416), the pilot of which had landed too fast and was in the process of overtaking the plane ahead of it.
The pilot of 96936 applied full throttle and attempted to get out of the way of 51416, but was unable to do so in time, and the rear plane collided with the one ahead of it causing substantial damage to both aircraft. Fortunately neither pilot was reported to be injured.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated September 20, 1951
