North Kingstown, R. I. – February 2, 1958

July 24, 2021

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – February 12, 1958

     On February 12, 1958, a U. S. Navy FJ-3 Fury jet (Bu. No. 135979), was approaching the Quonset Point Naval Air Station when the engine suddenly lost all power.  The pilot was unable to restart the engine and was forced to bail out.   He landed safely, but the jet crashed next to a private home on Pettee Avenue about a mile north of the air station runway.  The home, which was occupied at the time, was damaged by flames, but nobody on the ground was injured.  

     Source: The Rhode Island Pandulum, “Jet Crash Just Misses Mt. View Home; Pilot Safe”, February 13, 1958, page 1

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

North Kingstown, R. I. – August 9, 1961

June 29, 2020

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – August 9, 1961

 

Douglas Skyraider
U. S. Navy Photo

     On August 9, 1961, two U. S. Navy AD-6 Skyraider aircraft  took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a routine a training flight.  Within a few miles of the air station, at an altitude of about 9,600 feet, the aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision over the town of North Kingstown.  One pilot bailed out safely and came down in a wooded area behind St. Bernard’s Church.  His aircraft crashed and burned in the same wooded area.    The other pilot remained with his aircraft and crashed in a body of water known as Belleville Pond.  (Another source states “Secret Lake” which is to the immediate south of Belleville Pond.)  The pilot received serious injuries in the crash, and local residents swam to his aid and kept his head above water until rescue vehicles arrived.  Once ashore the pilot was transported to Newport Naval Hospital via helicopter.   

     Sources:

     The Standard, (North Kingstown), “Local Residents Aid In Plane Crash Rescue”, August 10, 1961, page 1. 

     The Rhode Island Pendulum, “Navy Probes Crash Of 2 Quonset Pilots; One Is seriously Injured”, August 10, 1961

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

North Kingstown, R.I. – April 11, 1945

May 28, 2019

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – April 11, 1945

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On the afternoon of April 11, 1945, a U. S. Navy SNJ-5 “Texan” trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 43893), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown with two men aboard.   The purpose of the flight was to test a newly installed “flight attitude” gauge in the rear cockpit.   As the pilot was putting the aircraft through a series of aerobatic maneuvers the engine suddenly lost all power and the plane went into a stall.  The aircraft then fell into a short spin and crashed killing both men.

     The pilot was identified as CAP USN Francisco P. Brunetti, 25, and the rear cockpit passenger was identified as AMM3/c John C. Costner, 23.     

     The location of this accident listed in the navy report was “Washington, R.I.”, however there is no such town, but there is a Washington County, R.I.  Within Washington County are the towns of Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly.  After contacting town halls form those towns, it was learned that the death records for this accident are kept at North Kingstown, Book 6, Page 335.  Therefore it is surmised the accident occurred in North Kingstown.   

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated April 11, 1945

 

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

North Kingstown, R. I. – November 26, 1947

February 9, 2019

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – November 26, 1947

 

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On November 26, 1947, an F8F Bearcat, (Bu. No. 95111), took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station for a routine training flight.  Shortly after take off the engine began to run erratically and then failed completely.  The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing and aimed for an open field in the Saunderstown area of North Kingstown.  Unfortunately the aircraft couldn’t make it to the field, and crashed into a wooded area next to the field.  The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, and the pilot, although seriously injured, was able to extricate himself from the wreckage.  He was transported to a hospital by a civilian. 

     The aircraft was assigned to VF-7A at Quonset Point.

     Source:

     U.S. Navy accident report dated November 26, 1947.  

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

North Kingstown, R. I. – August 21, 1944

January 6, 2019

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – August 21, 1944

Updated March 8, 2019

 

TBF-1 Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of August 21, 1944, two TBF-1 Avengers, (Bu. No. 23967), and (Bu. No. 06104), left Quonset Point Naval Air Station as part of a flight of several planes that were to take part in a routine training mission.   The two Avengers were flying in a two-plane formation over Narragansett Bay along the western side of Jamestown Island while they waited for other aircraft in the flight to join up with them.  Bu. No. 23967, piloted by Ensign Walter L. Miller, Jr., 21, of Texas, was in the lead position.  The other aircraft, Bu. No. 06104 was piloted by another Ensign, and was flying in the number two position. 

    While both aircraft were about two miles southwest of the Jamestown Bridge, and at an altitude of 1,500 feet, they began to make a ten degree bank to the left.  The air was turbulent, and while the bank was being executed, the right wing of the number two aircraft collided with the elevator of the lead plane.  Immediately after the collision, Ensign Miller’s aircraft went down and crashed into a vacant house in the Saunderstown section of North Kingstown and came to rest in the side yard where it exploded killing all aboard.  The vacant cottage was destroyed by the fire.

     There was an 8-year-old boy playing in the front yard of his home 100 yards away who suffered non-life-threatening burns from the flaming gasoline sprayed by the explosion.   

     A second house in which an elderly invalid woman was residing was also set ablaze.  She was rescued by two Coast Guardsmen, Meredith E. Dobry, of Bensonville, Ill. and Daniel Caruso, of Meriden, Ct., who both happened to be in the area at the time of the crash.     

     The other Avenger was able to make it safely back to Quonset Point without injury to the crew.

     Both aircraft were assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point.

     The dead were identified as:

     Pilot: Ensign Walter Lee Miller, Jr., 21, of Morton, Texas.  To see a photograph of Ensign Miller, go to www.findagrave.com, see memorial #38854830.   

     ARM3c Jacob C. Beam, 20, of Pottstown, Pa. He’s buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery in North Coventry, Pa.  See www.findagrave memorial #130440147.

    AMM3c Donald J. Finkler. 19, of East Cleveland, Ohio.

     Sources:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 21, 1944 

     Providence Journal, “Three Quonset Airmen Die As Plane Falls, Fires House”, August 22, 1944, Pg. 1

     New York Times, “Plane Hits House; 3 Die”, August 22, 1944

     Newport Mercury, “Navy Men Identified In Bomber Crash”, date either Aug. 22, or 23rd, 1944

     Town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, death records.

 

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

North Kingstown, R. I. – December 7, 1944

July 12, 2017

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – December 7, 1944

 

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

     On the night of December 7, 1944, a flight of six F6F-5 Hellcat Aircraft took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station to practice night carrier landings on Quonset’s runways.  After takeoff, Quonset tower instructed the aircraft to orbit the field two miles outside the designated landing circle to allow an incoming flight of airplanes to land.  After that incoming flight was on the ground, Quonset tower gave clearance for the six Hellcats to begin their practice landings, but when the aircraft circled the field it was noticed that there were now only five airplanes instead of six.  After ordering all five to land, an accounting was made, and it was discovered that one Hellcat, (Bu. No. 71036), piloted by Ensign Patrick Aloysius Hackett, age 22, was missing.

     Shortly afterward another pilot reported seeing a fire in a wooded area of North Kingstown.  State police found the wreckage of Ensign Hackett’s plane on Stooke Hill to the north of Route 138. 

     There had been no witnesses to the crash, and investigators speculated that the cause may have been due to engine failure.   

     Ensign Hackett is buried in Philadelphia National Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA. 

     Sources:

     U.S. Navy Accident Report dated December 7, 1944  

     North Kingstown, R. I. death records, # 44-96 

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

Wickford Harbor, R.I. – June 25, 1953

May 22, 2015

Wickford Harbor, North Kingstown, Rhode Island – June 25, 1953

     On the morning of June 25, 1953, an AD Skyraider took off from Quonset Point Naval Air Station to take part in search and rescue operations taking place in Exeter and West Greenwich, Rhode Island.  The night before, two F2H Banshee fighter jets out of Quonset had collided in mid-air, and one pilot, Lt. Jg. Jack Oliver Snipes, was still missing.

     (For more information about the mid-air collision, see “Exeter/West Greenwich – June 24, 1953” under “Rhode Island Military Aviation Accidents” on this website.)

     Just after take off the Skyraider developed engine trouble and crashed in Wickford Harbor.  The pilot, Lt. Comdr. Michael J. Baring, and the two-man crew, Joseph K. Keeple Jr., 21, of Pinehurst, Mass., and Donald F. Hart, 20, of Albany, N.Y., all escaped without injury.   

     Commander Baring related to the press that this was the 18th plane crash he’d survived during his career. 

     His commanding officer, Commander Robert M. Miner credited Baring with a perfect crash-landing and for keeping the aircraft away from populated areas.

Source: Providence Journal, “Searchers Fail To Find Trace Of Missing Banshee Jet Pilot”, June 26, 1953.  (200 men comb West Greenwich Crash Area In Vain; Three fliers unhurt in Wickford harbor plunge.)   

  

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

North Kingstown, R.I. – April 22, 1944

May 5, 2015

North Kingstown, Rhode Island – April 22, 1944

Updated July 7, 2017

    

Hellcat Fighters
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the afternoon of Saturday, April 22, 1944, two F6F-3 Hellcats assigned to VF-7 at Quonset Point Naval Air Station, collided in mid-air over the Quonset Manor neighborhood of North Kingstown.  Both pilots were killed.

     One plane sheared the tail off the other while both planes were several hundred feet in the air. 

     One of the Hellcats, (Bu. No. 42706), piloted by Ensign Joseph Clyde Rust, 22, of Alliance, Nebraska, crashed on King Phillip Drive and exploded. 

     The other Hellcat, (Bu. No. 41965), piloted by Ensign Oswald Eugene Asplundh Jr., 21, of Glenview, Illinois, crashed and burned to the waterline in Sawmill Pond.    

     Update:  The accident occurred while a flight of three Hellcats was flying in a Vee formation at 4,000 feet.  The flight leader, flying at the point of the Vee, suddenly began to pull away from the formation, and Ensigns Rust and Asplundh attempted to follow, and that’s when the collision occurred.  

Source:

Providence Journal, “2 Planes Collide At Quonset Manor”, April 23, 1944, Pg. 1

The Standard, “Two Planes Crash At Quonset Manor”, April 27, 1944, Pg. 1

     U.S. Navy Accident Report 

    

 

 

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

Quonset Point, R.I. – June 5, 1971

May 30, 2015

Quonset Point, R.I. – June 5, 1971

   

F8F Bearcat
U. S. Navy Photo

     On June 5, 1971, the annual Quonset Air Show, a.k.a. Rhode Island Air Show, was being held at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.  The second to last portion of the show that day included an aerobatic exposition of two former U.S. Navy F8F Bearcat aircraft flown by a father and son team.   Ten minutes into the exhibition, the wing of one aircraft, (N7700C) piloted by J. W. “Bill” Fornof, suddenly broke away.  The aircraft crashed in a wooded area on Quidnesset Road, about 1.5 miles from the base.   Mr. Fornof, 46, of Houma, Louisiana, was killed.

    His son, J. W. “Corkey” Fornof, flying the other Bearcat was not injured.    

    Investigators blamed the wing failure on metal fatigue.

    Mr. Fornof earned his wings as a navy pilot at the age of 19 in 1945, and served in both WWII and Korea.   

    For more information about J. W. “Bill” Fornof, and a photo of his aircraft, see “Bill Fornof Memorial – Chapter 513 Houma, LA”, at www.513.eaachapter.org/billfornofmemorial.htm 

    Sources:

    The Standard Times, (R. I.), “At Navy’s ‘Successful’ Carnival: A Memory Of Tragedy”, June 10, 1971

     Nashua Telegraph, “Pilot Killed In Accident At Air Show”, June 7, 1971, Pg. 3

    (Lafourche Parish, Louisiana) Daily Comet, ” Courier Reports On Death Of Local Aviator”, By Bill Ellzey, June 8, 2011.

     U.S. Navy & U.S. Marine Corps BuNos, www.joebaugher.com

 

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