Sterling, MA. – February 12, 1970

Sterling, Massachusetts, Airport – February 12, 1970 

 

     On February 9, 1970, a small aircraft with two men aboard took off from Sterling Airport bound for Nashua, New Hampshire, and disappeared en-route.  A search was instituted which involved Civil Air Patrol Aircraft. 

     Three days later, on February 12, a Civil Air Patrol Aircraft taking part in the search took off from Sterling Airport.  The pilot was Stewart C. Woodworth, 50, of Weston, Mass., and his observer was Stephen Nottonson, 33, of Newton, Mass.

     According to a witness, just after leaving the ground, the aircraft circled back toward the runway, and upon landing, collided with another airplane (with nobody aboard) that was parked on the runway.  The C.A. P. aircraft burst into flame, and two onlookers ran forward and managed to rescue Nottonson before the flames drove them back.  Mr. Woodworth perished in the accident.

     The missing plane was later found by snowmobilers taking part in the search.

     Sources:

     Providence Evening Bulletin, “Search Pilot Dies In Fiery Crash”, February 13, 1970   

     Providence Journal, “Missing Plane, 2 Dead Fliers Found In Mass.”, February 13, 1970 

 

 

Princeton, MA. – February 9, 1970

Princeton, Massachusetts – February 9, 1970

     On February 9, 1970, two men left Sterling, Massachusetts, airport in a small airplane bound for Nashua, New Hampshire.  Not long after take-off the aircraft crashed in a wooded section of Princeton, Mass. about two miles off Route 140.  Both men were killed.

     A search for the downed aircraft was instituted, but the effort to locate it resulted in a second fatal accident.  Three days later, on February 12th, a Civil Air Patrol aircraft taking part in the search crashed and burned at Sterling Airport.  The pilot, Stewart C. Woodworth Jr., age 50, of Weston, Mass., was killed.  His observer, Stephen J. Nottonson, of Newton, Mass., was severely injured.     

     The crash site was eventually discovered by snowmobilers taking part in the search.  

     Source: 

     Providence Journal, “Missing Plane, 2 Dead Fliers Found In Mass.”, February 13, 1970

Middleboro, MA – May 25, 1998

Middleboro, Massachusetts – May 25, 1998

     On May 25, 1998, David J. LaCroix, 60, of Taunton, and George A. Stedman Jr., 46, of Brockton, both members of the Brockton Civil Air Patrol, were taking part in a four hour C.A.P. training exercise near the Taunton Municipal Airport when their single-engine Cessna 182 aircraft suddenly experienced mechanical difficulty and crashed in a thickly wooded area of the town of Middleboro.  Neither man survived. 

     Both were long time members of the Civil Air Patrol with 6,100 hours of flight time between them.  

     Witnesses reported that just before the crash they heard the plane’s engine fade, and then “wail loudly” before quitting all together. 

     On May 22, just two days before the crash, Mr. LaCroix had flown the very same plane on a search and rescue mission looking for a downed Piper Aero which had crashed in the town of Lincoln, Massachusetts.  In that accident a man and his 5-year-old son were killed.    

     Source:

     Providence Journal, “2 Killed In Mass. Crash Were Experienced Pilots”, May 27, 1998

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