from author and historian Jim Ignasher
Squantum Naval Air Station – August 26, 1950
F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo
On August 26, 1950, a U. S. Navy F4U-4 Corsair, (Bu. No. 82015), was in the process of taking off from the Squantum Naval Air Station when the engine lost power. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway and flipped onto its back. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, but the pilot was not injured.
The aircraft was assigned to VF-915.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated August 26, 1950
Squantum Naval Air Station – September 24, 1945
SNJ Trainer Aircraft
U. S. Navy Photo
On September 24, 1945, a U. S. Navy SNJ-3, (Bu. No. 7006), was landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, when the wheels collapsed. The aircraft skidded to a stop and there was no fire. Neither of the two men aboard were injured. The aircraft was returning from a familiarization flight. The aircraft required a major overhaul.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated September 24, 1945
Squantum Naval Air Station – April 6, 1952
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On April 6, 1952, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 53112), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a routine familiarization flight. As the pilot approached Runway 26 from over the water, there was a strong crosswind blowing. Just before landing, the aircraft suddenly dropped below the level of the runway, and the landing gear struck the erosion preventing rip-rap at the end of the runway. The impact tore the landing gear away and the aircraft came down on its belly and skidded 200 feet to a stop. There was no fire. The pilot was not injured, but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated April 6, 1952.
Squantum Naval Air Station – July 29, 1949
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On July 29, 1949, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 86167), lost power immediately upon take off at the Squantum Naval Air Station. The aircraft fell back onto the runway but there wasn’t enough distance left to stop. The aircraft went off the end of the runway and into a saltwater marsh. The pilot was not injured, and the two other crewmen aboard suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was severely damaged and a recommendation was made to scrap it.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated July 29, 1949.
Squantum Naval Air Station – October 31, 1948
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On October 31, 1948 a navy TBM-3E, (Bu. No. 85728), was making a landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station on Runway 32. The aircraft touched down, bounced, and came back down on the runway. At this point the landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded 600 feet on its belly to a stop. The aircraft suffered substantial damage, but there were no injuries.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated October 31, 1948
Squantum, MA. – May 2, 1946
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On May 2, 1946, a navy TBM-3E Avenger, (Bu. No. 86286), was making its final approach to the Squantum Naval Air Station when the engine suddenly stopped. The aircraft crash-landed 450 ft. short of the runway and slid 300 feet before coming to rest in a marshy area. There was no fire. The aircraft suffered extensive damage, but nobody aboard was injured.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated May 2, 1946.
Squantum, Massachusetts – February 13, 1946
TBM-3E Avenger
U. S. Navy Photo
On February 13, 1946, a navy TBM-3 Avenger, (Bu. No. 23077), was taking off on a training flight from the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, bound for the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island. Immediately after leaving the ground the engine vibrated, backfired, and lost all power. The aircraft fell back to the runway with its wheels still locked and down. Upon landing, the pilot was forced to put the airplane into an intentional ground loop to avoid crashing into some ground obstructions. Due to the speed at which this occurred, the aircraft suffered substantial damage, but the pilot was not hurt.
The aircraft was assigned to VJ-15
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated February 13, 1946.
Squantum Naval Air Station – May 25, 1945
North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo
On May 25, 1945, a navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 27007), landed at the Squantum Naval Air Station in a strong cross-wind and ground looped at high speed causing damage to the left wing, left aileron, propeller, and both landing wheels. The pilot was not injured.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated May 25, 1945.
Squantum Naval Air Station – March 12, 1949
On March 12, 1949, a navy FG-1D Corsair, (Bu. No. 92326), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a training flight when the aircraft landed half-way down the runway and was unable to stop before going off the end and nosing over. The plane was damaged but the pilot wasn’t hurt.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated March 12, 1949.
Squantum NAS – August 3, 1944
U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.
On August 3, 1944, a U. S. Navy SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 54546), made a normal landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station. Just after touchdown, while the aircraft was still rolling at high speed, the landing gear suddenly collapsed dropping the plane onto the runway where it skidded on its belly to a stop. The two-man crew was not injured, but the aircraft required a major overhaul.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated August 3, 1944.
Squantum Naval Air Station – January 15, 1944
OS2U Kingfisher without float
U. S. Navy Photo
On January 15, 1944, a flight of U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft were returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after an anti-submarine patrol. The pilot of one of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 5564), was allowed to make a touch-and-go landing at an auxiliary air field located near the tip of Cape Cod so as to familiarize himself with the field. When the aircraft touched down, the left wheel hit a rut which damaged the left wheel strut of the landing gear. The pilot was able to keep the aircraft airborne and advised his flight leader of the situation. The flight leader then flew near #5564 and viewed the damage from his aircraft, and advised the pilot to jettison his bombs. (This was done three miles off Brant Rock.) Afterwards the damaged aircraft continued to the Squantum NAS where preparations were made for an emergency landing. When the pilot landed at Squantum the left landing gear collapsed and the plane ground-looped. The aircraft required extensive repairs, but the pilot was not hurt.
This same aircraft had been involved in another accident a year earlier. On January 10, 1943, the aircraft’s landing gear collapsed after a hard landing. There were no injuries.
Sources:
U. S. Navy accident report #44-10990, dated January 15, 1944.
U. S. Navy accident report #43-5635, dated January 10, 1943.
Squantum Naval Air Station – January 31, 1944
OS2U Kingfisher without float
U. S. Navy Photo
On January 31, 1944, an OS2U-3 Kingfisher aircraft, (Bu. No. 5369), was landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station when the landing gear collapsed just after touchdown causing major damage to the aircraft. The crew was not injured. The caused of the accident was determined to be mechanical failure.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report #44-11356, dated January 31, 1944.
Squantum Naval Air Station – April 6, 1944
U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.
On April 6, 1944, an SBD-5 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 28761), made a wheels-up landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station and skidded 300 feet to a stop. The aircraft suffered heavy damage, but the crew was not injured.
The aircraft was assigned to VS-31.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report #44-12971, dated April 6, 1944.
Squantum Naval Air Station – January 24, 1944
U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.
On January 24, 1944, a SBD-5 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 28952), was returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after a training flight. As the aircraft approached the runway the pilot noted that the right landing gear had failed to come down. The pilot began to circle the field and attempted to fix the problem but was unable to do so. When his fuel ran low he was advised to make an emergency landing on one wheel, which he did. The aircraft was damaged in the landing, but the crew was not injured.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report #44-11150, dated January 24,1944.
Squantum Naval Air Station – January 21, 1945
Quincy, Massachusetts
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On January 21, 1945, Lt. (jg.) Peter Rippa, took off in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 41789), from Squantum Naval Air station on a routine familiarization flight.
As he was returning to the base, he found that the landing gear wouldn’t come down. After several tires he notified the tower of his situation and was cleared for an emergency landing on Runway 260. Rippa brought the plane down on its belly and skidded to a stop. The Hellcat was heavily damaged by Rippa was not hurt.
The aircraft was assigned to VF-21.
Source: U.S. Navy Accident Report dated January 21, 1945
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