Off Provincetown, MA. – December 21, 1936

Off Provincetown, Massachusetts – December 21, 1932

     On the afternoon of December 21, 1936, a U. S. Coast Guard twin-engine “Flying Ambulance” was off the coast of Cape Cod when one of the engines suddenly lost all power.  The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in rough seas about five miles off Race Point.  The pilot then attempted to taxi towards shore but the seas were too rough so a distress call was sent out.  A rescue boat was dispatched and after attaching a tow line, towed the disabled plane towards shore.  The trip was slow going and dangerous, but the plane was finally beached near the Wood End Coast Guard Station.  There it was pulled from the water by two tractors.  None of those aboard the aircraft were injured.   

     The newspaper did not report if the plane was carrying a patient or not. 

     Source:

     The Provincetown Advocate, “Coast Guard Plane Forced Down”, December 24, 1936    

Off Provincetown, MA. – August 18, 1985

Off Provincetown, Massachusetts – August 18, 1985 

     On the morning of August 18, 1985, a Tiverton, Rhode Island, man took off from Provincetown Municipal Airport in a single-engine Piper Cherokee 6 airplane.  Shortly after takeoff the engine lost all power, and the pilot diverted the aircraft out over the water to avoid beach goers.  The aircraft crash-landed in the water about 200 yards off Racepoint Beach.  The pilot extricated himself and began swimming towards shore.  Lifeguards on shore set out in a boat to rescue the pilot who was not injured.  The partially submerged aircraft was towed to shore by the Coast Guard.    

     Source: Providence Journal, “R. I. Pilot Crashes Off Provincetown, Swims To Shore”, August 19, 1985, page A-3 

Off Provincetown, MA – May 8, 1944

Off Provincetown, Massachusetts – May 8, 1944

41 52.1N/70 16.4W

     Few details are available about this accident. 

     Updated March 2, 2016

     On May 8, 1944, a navy plane out of Quonset Point Naval Air Station crashed in the ocean off Provincetown, Massachusetts, resulting in three fatalities.  The coordinates of the crash are listed above.  They were obtained from the Rhode Island Department of Health Death Certificates.

     The dead were identified as:

     Lt. Jg. Norwood Harris Dobson, 27, of Ellenboro, North Carolina.  He’s buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Ellenboro. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53923003/norwood-harris-dobson

     ARM 3c Arthur Normand Levesque, 18, of Lonsdale (Lincoln) Rhode Island. He’s buried Notre Dame Cemetery in Pawtucket, R.I. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247820374/arthur-normand-levesque   

     (Missing) Aviation Ordinance man 3c John Werner Dahlstrom, 19, believed to be from Michigan.  Information about him was not listed among the death certificates.   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/246269817/john-werner-dahlstrom      

     Sources:

     Rhode Island Department of Health Death Certificates (N.K. GOV. 77) and (N.K. Gov. 78)

     Lewiston Evening Sun, “Identifies Fliers Killed In Cape Cod navy Plane crash”, May 10, 1944

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