Long Island Sound – August 28, 1935

February 19, 2024

Long Island Sound – August 28, 1935

     On the morning of August 28, 1935, Donald K. Phillips, 23, of Providence, Rhode Island, took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York, bound for Providence.  From there he planned to fly to Ohio for the Cleveland air races. 

      The aircraft he was piloting was a Stimson monoplane, and he was alone on board.  When he never arrived in Providence a large scale search was initiated.   

     Coast Guard vessels patrolled along the New England Coast from Connecticut to Salem, Massachusetts, but found nothing. 

     One man reported to the Danielson barracks of the Connecticut State Police that on the 28th he’d seen a low flying plane that appeared to be in trouble flying over the area of East Putnam.  The report was verified by several others, but descriptions of the airplane varied.  Police and volunteers searched the area, even searching from the air in a private airplane, but nothing was found. 

     The search was called off after a week as it was surmised by authorities that Phillips’ plane had most likely gone down in Long Island Sound.

     To date, no trace of him or his airplane was ever found. 

     Sources:

     Waterbury Democrat, “No Clue About Missing Flyer”, August 30, 1935. 

     Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), “End Search For Flyer”, September 2, 1935

     Windham County Observer, “Missing Aviator Reported Seen In Area Near City”, September  4, 1935.

 

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , , ,

Long Island Sound – October 31, 1946

December 19, 2023

Long Island Sound – October 31, 1946

     On October 31, 1946, two men were flying over Long Island Sound in a two-seater aircraft when their airplane suddenly nosed over and dove into the water about two miles off the shore of Branford, Connecticut.  The crash was witnessed by two brothers, John and Sperie Perakos who immediately steered their boat towards the scene and rescued the downed flyers.  The airmen were treated for shock and exposure to the cold water, but otherwise hadn’t suffered any serious injury.   

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, “Two Brothers Save Airmen”, November 1, 1946. 

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , ,

Long Island Sound – May 18, 1953

October 21, 2023

Long Island Sound – May 18, 1953

     On May 18, 1953, a pilot and two passengers left Long Island, New York, bound for Westerly, Rhode Island, in a twin-engine private plane.  The two passengers, a mother and her adult son, were both prominent New Yorkers coming to Rhode Island to visit family.  As the plane neared Rhode Island it ran into heavy fog, and the pilot was informed that the Westerly Airport was closed.  The pilot then turned the plane around to seek an alternative airfield, and the plane disappeared, and was presumed to have gone down in Long Island Sound.   

     A subsequent search was made of Long Island sound, and the mother’s body was recovered.   

     Sources:

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D. C.), “2 Prominent New Yorkers Aboard Missing Plane”, May 19, 1953.

     The Berkshire County Eagle, (Mass.), “Mother’s Body Found After Crash; Son, Pilot Missing”, May 20, 1953, pg. 1. (This article submitted by Eric Wiberg, author and historian.)  

     The Smithtown News, (N. Y.), “Bernard Peyton, Jr., Services Friday”, May 21, 1953, pg. 1      

 

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With:

Long Island Sound – May 18, 1953

February 16, 2022

Long Island Sound – May 18, 1953

     On May 18, 1953, a small private plane with a pilot and two prominent New Yorkers aboard left Princeton, New Jersey, bound for Westerly Airport in Westerly, Rhode Island.  As the flight neared Westerly it encountered heavy fog and low lying clouds, and was forced to turn back.  It then disappeared and was declared missing.  It was presumed to have gone down in Long Island Sound. 

     Source: 

     The Evening Star, (Washington, D. C.), “2 Prominent New Yorkers Aboard Missing Plane”, May 19, 1953, page A-5.  

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With:

Long Island Sound – March 31, 1943

February 10, 2022

Long Island Sound – March 31, 1943

      On the evening of March 31, 1943, Captain William J. Hennon, (23), of Mound, Minnesota, took off from Republic Airfield in Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y. in a North American BT-14 trainer plane bound for Trumbull Field in Groton, Connecticut.  Captain Hennon was an experienced combat pilot having served overseas and had achieved the status of “ace” for downing numerous enemy airplanes.  When he failed to arrive at Groton a search was undertaken but nothing was found.  It was learned that Capt. Hennon’s proposed route would have had him passing through clouds and fog.  It was speculated that the aircraft might have suffered engine failure and went down in Long Island Sound. 

     Sources:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941 – 1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006      

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , ,

Long Island Sound – April 17, 1944

February 5, 2022

Long Island Sound – April 17, 1944

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 17, 1944, a flight of four P-47 fighter aircraft took off from Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, for a training flight.  While flying in formation over Long Island Sound, one of the aircraft, (Ser. No. 42-22359), piloted by 2nd Lt. Robert Godshalk, (28), developed engine trouble.  Lt. Godshalk was forced to make an emergency water landing about one mile off Sachem Head in Guilford, Connecticut.  He was seen to get out of the plane before it sank, but by the time a Coast Guard boat had reached the scene the pilot had disappeared.  It was reported that a strong current was running at the time.    

     Lt. Godshalk’s body was later recovered on May 30th.  

     Lt. Godshalk was from Ardmore, Penn.  He’s buried in Westminster Cemetery in Bals Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.     

     Sources:     

     Waterbury Democrat, “Connecticut News”, April 19, 1944

     The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Flyers Body Recovered”, June 2, 1944, page 4.  

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – April 18, 1945

February 4, 2022

Long Island Sound – April 18, 1945

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On April 18, 1945, Flight Officer Salvatore Spano, 21, took off from the Suffolk County Army Air Field on Long Island, New York, in a P-47D Thunderbolt fighter plane for a navigation training flight.   While off the coast of Connecticut, his airplane was observed to drop to a low level and then bounce off the surface of the water.  It then appeared that the aircraft recovered, but it then crashed into the water off the coast of Milford, Connecticut, and sank immediately.  When the aircraft was recovered the pilot was still inside.   

     Lt. Spano is buried in Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield, Connecticut.  

     Source:

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941 – 1945” by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.  

     www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Long Island Sound – June 17, 1944

February 2, 2022

Long Island Sound – June 17, 1944

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     On June 17, 1944, a flight of four P-47 fighter aircraft took off from Hillsgrove Army Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, for a gunnery training flight over Long Island Sound off the shore of Madison, Connecticut.  One of the aircraft, (Ser. No. 42-22556), was being piloted by 2nd Lt. Everett C. Smith, (20), of North Carolina.  

     While over the target area, Lt. Smith made seven successful passes at the target(s).  While making his eighth pass he crashed into the water of Long Island Sound and was killed.   

     Lt. Smith is buried in Bethlehem United Methodist Church Cemetery in Advance, North Carolina. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58597830/everett-clark-smith

     Sources:

     Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The Unites States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.

     www.findagrave.com  

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Long Island Sound – March 11, 1944

January 31, 2022

Long Island Sound – March 11, 1944

 

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

     At 8:00 A.M. on the morning of March 11, 1944, a flight of two army P-47 fighter planes took off from Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, for what was to be an intercept training mission.  The two P-47s were it intercept a flight of  six B-24 bombers over New London, Connecticut, at nine o’clock.

     One of the P-47s, (Ser. No. 43-25406), was being piloted by Captain Thomas M. Boulware, (23-24), of South Carolina.     

      While in the area of New London, Captain Buolware’s aircraft engine suddenly began trailing smoke and flames.  He successfully bailed out of the aircraft, and he and the plane came down in Long Island Sound, but he perished before he could be rescued.  

     Captain Boulware is buried in Barnwell County Memorial Cemetery, in Barnwell, South Carolina.  To see a photo of Captain Boulware, click here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107881672/thomas-mccullough-boulware

     Sources:

     Book:, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006. 

     www.findagrave.com

     The Wilmington Morning Star,(No. Carolina), “Killed In Action”, March 12, 1944, page 13 

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Long Island Sound – May 18, 1943

January 28, 2022

Long Island Sound – May 18, 1943     

 

P-47C Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

     On the afternoon of May 18, 1943, two U. S. Army P-47 aircraft took off from Trumbull Field in Groton, Connecticut, for a training mission over Long Island Sound.  One aircraft, (Ser. No. 42-6561), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Edward E. Woolery, and the other, (Ser. No. 42-6636), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Alexander S. Koczak.  

     While engaged in a simulated “dog fight” over the water the aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision with one plane shearing the tail off the other.  Both aircraft crashed into the Sound, one hitting the water about 2,000 yards west of Great Gull Island, and the other about 1,000 yards northeast of the island.    

     2nd Lt. Woolery attempted to bail out of his plane but his parachute didn’t open and he was killed.  Lt. Koczak was rescued from the water off the east end of Great Gull Island.    

     Both men were assigned to the 360th Fighter Squadron. 

     Source:

     Book: “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006 

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – August 11, 1947

July 2, 2020

Long Island Sound – August 11, 1947

     On August 11, 1947, a single engine Aeronca Chief airplane with a lone pilot aboard took off from Salem, Connecticut, bound for East Hampton, Long Island.  As the aircraft was passing over Long Island Sound it developed engine trouble and the pilot was forced to make an emergency water landing.  The aircraft partially submerged, but remained afloat, so the pilot climbed atop of the wing to await rescue.  He didn’t have to wait long, for unbeknownst to him, his water landing had been witnessed through the periscope of the  submarine U.S.S. Finback.  Within ten minutes the submarine had surfaced and rescued the pilot.  The mine layer U.S.S. Sprig arrived to recover the airplane.  Both vessels then proceeded to the New London Naval Base in Connecticut. 

     Source:

     The Long-Islander, “Pilot Rescued In Sound By Submarine”, August 21, 1947, page 18.    

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – October 30, 1946

July 2, 2020

Long Island Sound – October 30, 1946

     At 1:15 p.m. on October 30, 1946, an experimental navy airplane took off from Stratford (Ct.) Municipal Airport for a test flight over Long Island Sound.  The lone pilot aboard was Willaim Neil Horan, (29), of Bridgeport, Connecticut, who was employed by the Chance Vought Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation of Stratford, Connecticut. 

     While putting the aircraft through a series of maneuvers over the Sound smoke and flames began pouring from the engines.  At this point Horan was still over the water just off the village of Northport, Long Island.   Unable to save the aircraft, he bailed out and came down in a wooded area on Bread And Cheese Hollow Road.   Meanwhile, the aircraft had gone into a spiral trailing smoke and exploded shortly before it hit the water. 

     Due to secrecy requirements, the type of aircraft and the exact nature of the test flight was not described in the newspaper article.  

     Source: Northport Journal, “Test Pilot Bails Out To Safety As Motor Goes bad”, November 1, 1946, page 1.        

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – December 3, 1953

April 1, 2019

Long Island Sound – December 3, 1953

     On the night of December 3, 1953, a Grumman Guardian with two crewmen aboard left the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a routine training flight.  At about 7:30 p.m., while flying over Long Island Sound, the engine suddenly lost all power and the aircraft went down in the water.  Before it sank, the crew managed to set off emergency signal flares, don Mark IV survival suits, and get into a life raft.  The new survival suits were later credited with saving the men’s lives. 

     The flares were seen by two civil defense aircraft observers on duty in Branford, Connecticut.   Coast Guard and navy authorities were notified and a widespread search was begun.  

     The two crewmen were identified as Ensign James Shapiro, (25) and Aviation Mechanic First Class Donald Sockman, (31). Both were rescued about twelve hours later by a Coast Guard plane and brought to Floyd Bennet Field on Long Island for treatment.           

     Sources:

     Newport Daily News, “2 Quonset Flyers Rescued From Sound After Spending 12 Hours on a Raft”, December 4, 1953.

     Newsday, (Long Island, N.Y.), “Rescued From L.I. Sound, naval Fliers Both In Good Condition”, December 5, 1953 

 

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , ,

Long Island Sound – November 10, 1980

October 8, 2018

Long Island Sound – November 10, 1980

     On the night of November 10, 1980, a twin-engine Piper Navaho with four people aboard left Worcester, Massachusetts, for an unknown destination.  At 10:25 p.m. the aircraft disappeared from radar while over Long Island Sound, about eight miles southeast of Stratford, Connecticut.   Shortly before hand, the pilot had radioed that the aircraft was low on fuel.   A search and rescue mission was instituted, however nothing was found, and it was called off due to bad weather.  All four persons aboard perished in the accident.  

     Sources:

    Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Pilot of Lost Plane Identified”, November 12, 1980, page 12.     

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “Two More Plane Crash Victims Identified”, November 14, 1980, Page A-5

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , ,

Long Island Sound – June 17, 1968

July 11, 2018

Long Island Sound – June 17, 1968

     At 2:30 a.m. on the morning of June 17, 1968, a Cessna 411 with two Connecticut men aboard left Fisher’s Island, N.Y., bound for Trumbull Airport in Groton, Connecticut.  (Today the airport is known as Groton-New London Airport.)  The weather consisted of heavy fog, with a cloud ceiling of 800 feet, and less than a mile of visibility.  

     The following morning, someone noticed the pilot’s private automobile still parked at Trumbull Airport and began to question his whereabouts.  It was subsequently learned that the aircraft he’d been piloting had never arrived from Fisher’s Island.  A large scale search involving Coast Guard vessels and aircraft was begun.   

     A woman living near the now defunct New London-Waterford Airport reported hearing a plane circling the area at about 3:00 a.m. 

     A resident of East Lyme, Connecticut, also reported hearing a low flying airplane. 

     Investigators theorized that the aircraft had been unable to land at Trumbull Airport due to deteriorating weather conditions, and the pilot had flown to Waterford to attempt a landing there.        

     The aircraft was finally located in forty feet of water off the New London shore, and was recovered on November 15, 1968.  

     Sources:

     New London Day, “Wide Search Is presses For 2 Groton Men, Plane”, June 19, 1968 

     National Transportation Safety Board report, NYC68A0137

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: ,

Long Island Sound – June 29, 1944

March 7, 2018

Long Island Sound – June 29, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On the night of June 29, 1944, a flight of sixteen navy Hellcat aircraft were on a night formation training flight passing over Long Island Sound at an altitude of 500 feet.  One of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 41482), piloted by Ensign L. N. Jones, suddenly lost power and fell away from the formation and hit the water.  The aircraft struck the water on a level keel and bounced upwards for a moment, and then struck the water a second time which caused the fuel tank to explode.  The blast flipped the plane over at which time it hit the water again and sank.  Ensign Jones was able to extricate himself while the plane was under water, and bobbed to the surface shortly after it disappeared.  Although injured, he was kept afloat by his life vest, and was rescued six hours later by a submarine.     

     The aircraft was not recovered.

     Ensign Jones was assigned to Fighter Squadron 46, (VF-46)

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report – dated June 29, 1944. 

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,

Long Island Sound, CT. – May 30, 1943

February 11, 2020

Long Island Sound, CT. – May 30, 1943

 

P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo

  On the morning of May 30, 1943, 2nd Lt. Neil C. Donovan, 23, was piloting an RP-47B, (Ser. No. 41-5939), over southern Connecticut on a routine training flight when for reasons unknown, his aircraft crashed onto the water of Long Island Sound near the town of Branford.  He did not survive.  Lt. Donovan was assigned to the 321st Fighter Squadron at Westover Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts.    

     Sources:

     Hartford Courant, “Two Army Planes Crash, One Killed, Another Hurt”, May 31, 1943, page 1.  (The article also refers to another P-47 crash that occurred in Coventry, Connecticut.)  

     Information supplied by Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, Rhode Island.

 

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – June 29, 1945

August 21, 2017

Long Island Sound – June 29, 1945

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     In the early morning hours of June 29, 1945, Lt. (Jg.) George H. MacBride was piloting an F6F-5N Hellcat, (Bu. No. 78176), on a radar mapping flight over Long Island Sound off the coast of Connecticut.  He was part of a three aircraft flight that had left Charlestown Auxiliary Naval Air Station in Charlestown, Rhode Island. 

     At 1:40 a.m., while flying over the area of Fisher’s Island, south of New London, the pilots of the other two aircraft observed an explosion on the water followed by a fire.  (The location was about two miles southwest of Fisher’s Island.)  A rescue PBY aircraft was sent from Charlestown NAS and arrived on scene within twenty minutes, and rescue boats arrived at about 3:00 a.m., but neither Lt. (Jg.) MacBride or his aircraft were recovered.  The cause of the accident could not be determined.

     Source: National Archives, 54-45, TD 450629CT, via Larry Webster, Aviation Historian, Charlestown, R.I. 

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – June 22, 1971

November 16, 2016

Long Island Sound – June 22, 1971

Between Fisher’s Island, N.Y., and New London, Ct.

     At approximately 6:30 A.M. on the morning of June 22, 1971, a red and white Cessna 172E, (#N 3831S), with four men aboard, took off from Windham Airport in Windham Connecticut bound for Fisher’s Island, New York.   

     The men were identified as:

     Dr. Harry Fox, 58, of Back Rd., Windham, Ct.

     Peter A. Tambornini, Sr., (Age unk.) of Main St. Willamantic, Ct.

     Charles V. Miale, 46, of Atwoodville Rd., Mansfield Center, Ct.

     Walter A. Card, 51, of Lover’s Lane Rd., Windham, Ct.     

     The purpose of the trip was reportedly to participate in a golf tournament.  The plane arrived safely at Fisher’s Island, but when it came time to return to Connecticut later in the day heavy fog had settled in over the area.  The return trip was expected to take 30 minutes and would require a flight path over Long Island Sound.  Shortly after take off, what was described as an explosion over the Sound was heard, but due to the fog nothing was sighted.  The Coast Guard initiated a search and rescue operation but nothing was found, and according to the NTSB report-brief, no wreckage was ever recovered.       

     Sources:

     National Transportation Safety Board report #NTSB  NYC71AN126

     Hartford Courant, (Conn.) “Four Feared dead In Crash Of Light Plane In Sound”, June 24, 1971

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – December 24, 1942

May 2, 2016

Long Island Sound – December 24, 1942

    

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger National Archives Photo

U.S. Navy Grumman Avenger
National Archives Photo

     On December 24, 1942, a flight of four navy TBF-1 Avengers left Norfolk, Virginia, bound for Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island.  After a stop in New Haven, Connecticut, the planes left for New London, flying over Long Island Sound along the coast of Connecticut.  Somewhere between New Haven and New London, Lt. (jg.) William Young Bailey and his aircraft disappeared from formation and was presumed to have crashed in the Sound.  The following day pieces of aircraft wreckage were found near New Haven.    

     Lt. Bailey was alone in the aircraft. 

     It is unclear whether or not Lt. Bailey’s body was recovered.  There is a memorial to him located in Woodlawn Cemetery in Zanesville, Ohio.  To see a picture of the memorial, and a photograph of Lt. Bailey, see www.findagrave.com, Memorial #6290244.      

     Source:

     The Sunday Morning Star, (Wilmington, Del.) “Navy Flyer Missing On Connecticut Trip”, December 27, 1942.  

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: , ,

Off Waterford, CT – February 10, 1970

December 30, 2015

Waterford, Connecticut – February 10, 1970

In Long Island Sound

     At 4:21 p.m., Pilgrim Airlines Flight 203 left Trumbull Airport (Today known as Groton-New London Airport) bound for J.F. K. International Airport in New York.  It had been scheduled to depart at 4:05 p.m., and arrive at 4:55 p.m.  (The sixteen minute delay was due to ground delays, and no fault of the crew.)

     The aircraft was a turbo-prop De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, registration N124PM.

     There were five persons on board: the pilot, Alfred Crofts, 44, of North Stonington, Connecticut; the first officer, George B. Fox, 23, of Orient Point, New York, and three passengers; David F. Baker, George T. West Jr., and Willis G. Worchester.  The three passengers had just been visiting the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Groton, Connecticut.  

     Weather and visibility conditions were poor, and the pilot was flying on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).  When the flight reached the New York area it was put in a holding pattern for an extended period of time.  

     By 5:00 p.m. conditions at Kennedy had deteriorated.

     At 5:27 p.m. Flight 203 was contacted by Kennedy to establish radar identification, however it was learned that the radar transponder aboard the aircraft wasn’t working.  After several attempts to remedy the problem without success, Flight 203 was diverted to Tweed Airport in New Haven, Connecticut. 

     At 6:13 p.m. Flight 203 was cleared for approach to Tweed.  However, at 6:17 p.m. the pilot reported they’d missed the approach, and the flight was advised to contact the Westchester (NY) Approach Control as part of standard missed-approach procedure.  

     Flight 203 established contact with Westchester and asked for the weather at Groton, Connecticut, and the controller advised he would get the weather and give instructions. 

     The flight responded, “203, roger. We’d appreciate it if you hurry.” 

     Groton weather was then transmitted to 203.

     At 6:18 p.m. Flight 203 again contacted Westchester Approach Control: “Westchester, we’d like to ah get direct Groton right now.”  Westchester advised they were working on getting clearance.

     203 repeated that they had to get Groton, and the Westchester controller replied he had to coordinate with New York, and was in the process of doing so.

     At 6:20 p.m. Flight 203 advised, “Ah, Westchester, 203, ah we got minimum fuel now, we gotta get to Groton.”

     “Pilgrim 203,” the controller responded, “I have advised Kennedy of that, they’re working on your clearance now, and I’ll have something as soon as they give it to me.”  

     Flight 203 was granted clearance shortly afterwards, and made its approach to Groton at 100 feet off the water due to a 200 foot cloud ceiling.  On final approach the pilot was in communication with his company via radio.  As he skimmed over the water hoping to make shore, he reported that one engine had stopped.  Seconds later the other engine quit, and the pilot advised he was going to ditch.  The plane crashed into Long Island Sound in 60 feet of water off Harkness Point.  It had run out of fuel.

     All aboard perished. When the plane was recovered from the bottom, it was discovered that no bodies were inside.  Two of the passengers bodies were recovered at a later date, but the flight crew and the other passenger were never found.  

     Sources:

     NTSB Investigation Report, Report # NTSB-AAR-71-1, File #3-0001, SA-418, Adopted January 27, 1971   

    (Connecticut) The Morning Record, “Evidence Probed In Plane Crash”, April 1, 1970 page 20   

    

 

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Long Island Sound – November 17, 1958

April 19, 2015

Long Island Sound – November 17, 1958

     On November 17, 1958, a four-passenger Piper aircraft left New York’s La Guardia Airport, (Now J.F.K. Airport) on a return trip to North Central Airport in Smithfield, Rhode Island.  The aircraft was piloted by Albino Beltrami, 36, of Providence.  His passengers, George W. Horton, 49, of Cumberland, R.I., and Eugene Sullivan, 50, of Shrewsbury, Mass., were in the aluminum manufacturing business, and had been in New York on business.   Somewhere over Long Island Sound the plane disappeared. 

     No distress call had been received, and it was surmised that whatever had happened, had been quick.  Residents along the Connecticut shore in the area of Madison, Connecticut, reported hearing a low flying plane and then an explosion the night the plane went missing. 

     Three days later a hat believed to belong to Mr. Horton washed up on Hammonasset State Park Beach in Madison.  A friend of Horton’s stated he was “reasonably certain”  that the hat was one the missing man had bought a few days earlier due to the certain way Horton was known to crease his hats. 

     On November 21st, a tobacco pouch washed ashore at Madison, and was positively identified as belonging to the pilot of the missing plane.      

     A large scale search was concentrated in that area involving Coast Guard and Civil Air Patrol personnel, but nothing further was found.   

     On April 28, 1960, a lobster fisherman was dragging for bait off Meig’s Point at Hammonasset Park when his net snagged on the missing airplane in 58 feet of water.  A month later divers confirmed it was the missing Piper with the remains of three men aboard.  

Sources:

Providence Journal, “Hat Found On beach Linked To Lost Plane” November 20, 1958, Pg.1

Providence Journal, “Pilot’s Pouch Found On Beach”, November 21, 1958, Pg. 11

Providence Journal, “Skin Divers Locate Bodies Of Two R.I. men In Plane” May 17, 1960, Pg. 26 

 

Filed Under: Connecticut – Civil Tagged With: , , , , , ,
Return to Top ▲Return to Top ▲