Mansfield, MA. – January 22, 1970

January 30, 2026

Mansfield, Massachusetts – January 22, 1970

     On the afternoon of January 23, 1970, three men took off from Mansfield Airport in an Apache Piper 160 airplane.  Just after becoming airborne it was noted that the engines weren’t developing full power so the pilot turned the plane to return to the airport.  As he was trying to land the plane lost power and crashed in a swampy field short of the runway.  The left wing struck the ground first causing the plane to flip over.  All three occupants escaped through an emergency hatch suffering non-life-threatening injuries.

     Source:

     The Attleboro Sun, “Three Men Escape Death In Crash Of Light Plane In Mansfield Swamp”, January 23, 1970.    

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Boltz, Airport – Mansfield, Massachusetts

January 28, 2026

   Boltz Airport

Boltz Airport Advertisement
The Attleboro Sun
August 27, 1929

    Boltz Airport is known to have been in operation by the summer of 1929.  It was established by the Boltz family on land that was once a trotting park.  (Mineral Spring Trotting Park)

     The first known aviation fatality at the airport occurred on September 1, 1929.  

     During World War II the airport was expanded and used by the navy for training. 

     During the war, a navy airplane crashed in Mansfield on September 13, 1945. 

      At a town meeting in 1947, it was voted by taxpayers to accept the land owned by the navy for a municipal airport.  The vote carried a $1000 appropriation for improvements to the airport.  The deed for the land was turned over to the town on February 28, 1948.  The name of the airport was changed to the Mansfield Municipal Airport. 

July 2, 1931

     On May 22, 1955 a large hangar was destroyed by an explosion and subsequent fire, putting a long-time aviation repair service out of business.  There were no injuries.  

     Another accident to occur at the airport happened on June 26, 1955.

     In October of 1959 the airport was re-dedicated with the grand opening of a new $160,000 airport facilities building. 

      Other accidents at the airport include the following:

      October 29, 1971

      October 30, 1986

      Sources:

     The Attleboro Sun, “Indicate Navy Interested in Boltz Field”, March 13, 1942.

     The Attleboro Sun, “Mansfield To Get Deed For Airport”, February 27, 1948.   

     The Attleboro Sun, “Friends Rebuild Burned Hangar And Start Up Boucher Business Again”, May 6, 1955

     The Attleboro Sun, “3,000 Witness Dedication Of Mansfield Airport”, October 12, 1959.  

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Mansfield, MA. – September 1, 1929

January 27, 2026

Mansfield, Massachusetts – September 1, 1929

     On the afternoon of September 1, 1929, a 36-year-old pilot took off from Boltz Airport in Mansfield, (Today known as Mansfield Airport), in a Great Lake airplane powered by a 90 horsepower British Cirrus motor.  His intention was to take the plane on a solo test flight before returning to the airport to give a plane ride to two friends.  When the plane had reached an altitude of about 100 feet, it was seen to bank sharply into the wind before going into a tailspin and crashing to the ground.  Upon impact it burst into flames and the pilot perished.     

     The pilot was a World War I veteran and local businessman who’d been a pilot since the early spring.   

     It was believed that the accident occurred because the controls of the aircraft had frozen.

     Source:

     The Attleboro Sun, (Ma.), “Mansfield Pilot Is Killed In Smash”, September 3, 1929

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Mansfield, MA. – June 26, 1955

January 27, 2026

Mansfield, Massachusetts – June 26, 1955

     On June 26, 1955, a man and woman took off from the Mansfield Airport in a Timm, low-wing, open-cockpit, single-engine monoplane.  The pilot was a 41-year-old professional pilot and parachute jumper.  His passenger was a 36-year-old woman well known in the community.  According to witnesses, the aircraft reached an altitude of about 400 feet when it abruptly dove towards the ground crashing nose first into a wooded area about 150 yards from Hall Street and a short distance from the Boltz Farm at 600 South Main Street.  Both occupants perished in the crash. 

     One witness stated that the plane appeared to be “laboring” leading to speculation that the aircraft may have experienced engine trouble.    

     Source:

      The Attleboro Sun, (Mass.), “Two Killed In Plane Crash At mansfield”, June 27, 1955.

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Mansfield, MA. – October 29, 1971

March 2, 2024

Mansfield. Massachusetts – October 29, 1971

     On October 29, 1971, a 44-year-old pilot from Braintree, Mass., was not injured when he crashed his single engine airplane in a field on a farm located 100 yards away from the Mansfield Airport.  No further details are known.  

     Source: The Pawtucket Times, “Plane Crashes; Pilot Walks Away”, October 30, 1971, pg. 8

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Mansfield, MA. – October 30, 1986

May 13, 2019

Mansfield, Massachusetts – October 30, 1986     

     On October 30, 1986, a student pilot with his instructor were at the controls of a single-engine Cessna 152 making practice runs over the Mansfield Airport.  The student was wearing a special hood that only allowed him to see his instrument panel as he received training in instrument flying. 

     Meanwhile, a twin-engine Piper Navajo with three people aboard was passing through the area on its way from Providence to Boston’s Logan Airport.   Both aircraft collided in mid-air 2,500 feet over the airport    

     A portion of the Piper’s tail section penetrated the cockpit of the Cessna and broke off, and the instructor suffered a broken leg when it did so.  Additionally, one of the landing gear struts was also torn away by the impact.  Despite his injury, the instructor took control of the aircraft and made an emergency crash-landing at Mansfield airport.  The instructor was transported to a hospital for treatment.

     Meanwhile the Piper flew to Norwood Airport where it too made an emergency landing.  There were no reported injuries aboard the Piper.

     Sources:

     The Sun, (Lowell, Mass.), “One Person Hurt When Two Small Planes Collide”, October 31, 1986

     Providence Journal Bulletin, “Student Pilot Wearing Special Hood When Planes Collide In Mansfield”, November 1, 1986  

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , , , ,
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