East Greenwich, R. I. – June 11, 1946

July 25, 2021

East Greenwich, Rhode Island – June 11, 1946

     At 3:30 pm on June 11, 1946,  a 22-year-old man was attempting to take off from Greenwich Cove in a rented Piper Cub airplane fitted with pontoons.  Just as the aircraft was becoming airborne it was struck by a strong gust of wind which forced one of the wings to dip and touch the water causing the plane to flip onto its back.  The pilot was able to quickly extricate himself and swim to the surface uninjured.  With the help of a friend, the partially submerged plane was towed to a nearby dock where it was later removed by a crane.   

     Source: The Rhode Island Pendulum, “King Gorman Has Narrow Escape  As Plane Sinks In Bay”, June 13, 1946

Filed Under: Rhode Island - Civil Tagged With: , , ,

East Greenwich, R. I. – June 7, 1928

July 23, 2021

East Greenwich, Rhode Island – June 7, 1928

     On June 7, 1928, pilot Evald Lundberg of East Greenwich was giving airplane rides from a field on the farm of Irvine Law.  After giving several flights without incident, he took off just before 8 pm with a single passenger for what was to be the last flight of the day.  As the airplane was moving across the rough field it seemed to be having trouble gaining speed.  It barely cleared a fence at the edge of the field, and after becoming airborne it hit an air pocket and struck the top of a tall tree.  It then continued on in a nose down angle into a wooded area near some railroad tracks.  There was no fire after the crash.  The aircraft suffered considerable damage and both pilot and passenger received non-life-threatening injuries.      

     Sources:

     The Rhode Island Pendulum, “Lundberg And Wilson In Bad Plane Crash”, June 14, 1928.

     The Pawtucket Times, “Passenger Injured But Pilot Escapes As Biplane Crashes”, June 8, 1928

     Mr. Lundberg later perished in another plane crash on Block Island in 1931.  http://newenglandav.s431.sureserver.com/block-island-r-i-august-27-1931/

Filed Under: Rhode Island - Civil Tagged With: , , ,

East Greenwich, R. I. – November 22, 1971

July 23, 2021

East Greenwich, Rhode Island – November 22, 1971

       On November 22, 1971, a twin-engine Aero Commander 560A, (Reg. No. N87K), took off from Chatham, Massachusetts, bound for Newark, New Jersey.  The plane carried a pilot, co-pilot, and four passengers. 

     As the flight was passing over Rhode Island it encountered sleet, a low cloud ceiling, and icing conditions on the wings.  Ground fog was also present.  When one of the engines began to run erratically, the pilot radioed T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, R. I., and requested landing instructions.   As the flight was headed toward Green, the aircraft went down in a thickly-wooded swampy area off South Road in East Greenwich.  

     The distressed aircraft was witnessed by a local resident who immediately notified authorities.  When rescue workers reached the scene they had to extricate the injured from the fuselage.  All were transported to Kent County Hospital where one 58-year-old woman passenger succumbed to her injuries.   

     Sources:

     The Rhode Island Pendulum, “1 Killed, 5 Injured in E. G. Plane Crash”, November 24, 1971, page 1.  

     NTSB report #NYC72AN069

     Aviation Safety Network

 

Filed Under: Rhode Island - Civil Tagged With: , , , ,

East Greenwich, R. I. – May 16, 1944

May 5, 2015

East Greenwich, Rhode Island – May 16, 1944

     On May 16, 1944, an F6F-3 Hellcat (41944) assigned to VF-7 at Quonset Point Naval Air Station, crashed at the west end of the former Sun Valley Rifle Range in East Greenwich.  Witnesses said the plane had been maneuvering over the area when it suddenly went into a tail spin and crashed.  The pilot was killed, and the subsequent fire ignited the surrounding woods. 

     The pilot, Lt. Comdr. David W. Taylor, was a squadron commander.  He was survived by a wife and two children.  

     Source: The Standard, “Quonset Pilot Falls To Death”, May 18, 1944.

         

    

Filed Under: Rhode Island - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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