Norwood, Ma. – May 8, 1935

November 24, 2024

Norwood, Massachusetts – May 8, 1935

     On May 8, 1935, a 40-year-old instructor at the Harvard Institute of Geography, and instructor of aerial photography at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, took off from the Norwood Airport in a small plane to demonstrate some aerobatic maneuvers in order to qualify for a limited commercial pilot rating.   As he flew over the airport at an altitude of about 3,000 feet, he began to put the aircraft through a series of spins.  After  making one successful spin, he attempted another, but this time the engine stalled and he was unable to recover.  The plane crashed into a swampy area along the Neponset River.  The aircraft was wrecked, but fortunately the fall was broken by trees and thick muck, and the pilot only received a small cut on his forehead.   He was able to walk away from the plane and wade through thick waist-deep muck to greet his rescuers.   Later in the day he boarded another plane and flew to Boston. 

     The type of aircraft was not stated in the press. 

     Sources:

     Washington Times, (D.C.), “Air Photographer Survives Crash”, May 9, 1935

     Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.), “Flyer Crashed But Was saved”, May 9, 1935.  

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

Norwood, MA. – April 4, 1941

January 17, 2022

Norwood, Massachusetts – April 4, 1941

     On April 4, 1941, two men from Roxbury, Mass., were critically injured when their aircraft crashed on takeoff from the Norwood Airport.  It came down in a wooded area at the end of the runway, and although severely damaged, there was no fire.   A strong wind gust striking the aircraft was said to be the cause.   

     Source:

     The Waterbury Democrat, (Ct.), “Doctor Is Badly Hurt In Crash”, April 5, 1941

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Norwood, MA. – August 5, 1944

May 30, 2019

Norwood, Massachusetts – August 5, 1944

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On the morning of August 5, 1944, the pilot of a navy F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58931), was practicing glide-angle training runs over the Norwood, Massachusetts, area when a sudden “jolt” occurred in the engine compartment followed by sections of cowling falling away, and oil spraying the windshield.  Immediately afterwards the aircraft began trailing smoke.  The pilot nursed the aircraft up from 1,500 feet to 2,500 feet where he bailed out.  The plane came down and was destroyed.  The pilot landed safely with a lacerated hand.     

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 5, 1944

 

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

Norwood, MA. – July 4, 1974

October 15, 2017

Norwood, Massachusetts – July 4, 1974

     On July 4, 1974, a husband and wife, along with their four young children, took off from Norwood Airport bound for Martha’s Vineyard in a Republic Seabee aircraft.  Just after becoming airborne the oil line burst causing the engine to stop.  The plane came down in a wooded-swampy area about 300 yards off the end of the runway.  Remarkably, there were no serious injuries, and the plane didn’t catch fire.  The family was transported to Norwood Hospital for first-aid treatment.  Afterwards, the family returned to the airport and left for Martha’s Vineyard in another plane. 

     Source:

     Boston Herald American, “Walpole Pilot, Family Prove Plane Stubborn”, July 5, 1974, page 4.   

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Norwood, MA. – October 25, 1970

July 5, 2017

Norwood, Massachusetts – October 25, 1970

     On the afternoon of October 25, 1970, a pilot-instructor and his student were practicing take offs and landings at Norwood Airport in a Piper Cherokee aircraft.  At one point, as the pilot was preparing to make a landing approach to the airport, the engine suddenly stopped and could not be restarted. The aircraft was over the center of town at the time, and the pilot wasn’t sure if he had enough altitude to make the air field, so he turned the plane around and away from the densely populated town center, and aimed towards Norwood High School hoping to land on the football field.  However, as he approached the school he saw that a football game was in progress, and instead aimed for the streets of a nearby housing development hoping to land there.  The aircraft came down on Dorset Street, and would have made a perfect landing except that the wing struck a telephone pole and some wires which flipped it on its roof.  Both pilot and student scrambled out and were not injured.  There was no fire.

     Source:

     Providence Journal, “R. I. Pilot Lands On Mass. Street”, October 26, 1970

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: , ,

Norwood, MA – June 16, 1942

March 13, 2016

Norwood, Massachusetts – June 16, 1942

Curtis P-40 Aircraft
U. S. Army Air Corps Photo

     On June 16, 1942, 2nd Lt. Herbert C. Chamberlain, (23), was piloting a Curtiss P-40E (Ser. No. 41-25161) over Norwood, Mass., when the aircraft experienced engine trouble.  Lt. Chamberlain attempted an emergency landing at Norwood Airport, but went down in a swampy area near the edge of the field.  The plane was damaged but Lt. Chamberlain was unhurt.     

     Lt. Chamberlain was killed a few days later in another P-40 crash at Hillsgrove Air Field in Warwick, Rhode Island, on June 24, 1942.  For more information, see Hillsgrove, June 24, 1942

     Source: U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Report Of Aircraft Accident, #42-6-16-37  

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