Brunswick, Maine – July 19, 1946
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On July 19, 1946, a flight of F6F-5 Hellcats left Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island for a training flight to Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine. Upon reaching Brunswick, the aircraft began to land. One Hellcat, (Bu. No. 72606), was making a normal landing when the aircraft was caught in a downdraft and forced into an unpaved area 30 feet short of the runway. Upon touchdown, the left landing gear was torn away. The aircraft then bounced up and became airborne as the pilot applied throttle. He was notified by the tower at Brunswick that a portion of the landing gear was missing, and was advised to return to Quonset Point. Upon his return to Quonset, he made a wheels up landing on the grassy strip alongside the runway. The aircraft suffered heavy damage, but the pilot was not injured.
The aircraft was assigned to VF-82.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated July 19, 1946
