Martha’s Vineyard – March 25, 1944
TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On the night of March 25, 1944, a navy TBF-1 Avenger, (Bu. No. 05880), was returning to the Martha’s Vineyard Naval Auxiliary Air Field after a night familiarization flight. As the pilot was making his landing approach, he was waved off due to another aircraft which had just landed still being on the runway. The Avenger circled around and came in for a second approach. As it touched down it made a wheels up landing, and skidded on its belly for 900 feet before coming to rest. The propeller, the bomb bay doors, and the starboard wing were heavily damaged, but there were no injuries.
The aircraft was assigned to VT-81.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report #44-12653, dated March 25, 1944.
