Haverhill, Massachusetts – April, 1947
On or about April 25, 1947, a 22-year-old pilot was flying over the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts, when the engine failed. Looking for a place to make an emergency landing, he saw the frozen surface of Round Pond, (also known as Pentucket Lake), and began to head for it, but as he approached he saw that numerous children were in the area skating on it. Rather than risk harming the children, the pilot aimed his plane for nearby Winnekenni Park and crash landed there. The pilot suffered minor injuries, but the plane was wrecked.
Source: The Bridgton News, (Me.), “Pilot Wrecks His Plane To Save Lives Of 50 Children”, April 25, 1947