Northampton, Massachusetts – July 27, 1952
On July 27, 1952, a Stearman bi-plane with two men aboard took off from Atwood Airport on the Mount Tom Highway. Just after becoming airborne the plane went into a stall and observers reported that the nose of the craft was pointing nearly straight up before the pilot could right it. The plane then skimmed under some power lines and bounced onto the highway where it barely missed colliding with a passing car. It then went off the road and crashed into an embankment bordering the Boston & Maine Railroad. The plane was wrecked, but the 28-year-old pilot, and his 22-year-old passenger escaped injury.
Police officers John W. Zalesky, James Shea, and Paul McHugh responded to the scene, and directed traffic while curious spectators snapped photographs.
Source: Springfield Morning Union, “Two Survive Plane crash At Northampton”, July 28, 1952