from author and historian Jim Ignasher
Beverly, Massachusetts – February 7, 1945
North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo
On February 7, 1945, a navy SNJ-5 Texan trainer aircraft, (Bu. No. 90667), was landing at Beverly, Massachusetts, when the aircraft went off the runway and into a snowbank and nosed over. The aircraft was damaged but there were no injuries.
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated February 7, 1945
Beverly, Massachusetts – October 29, 1944
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On October 29, 1944, a F6F-5, Hellcat, (Bu. No. 58128), was taking off from the Beverly Navy Auxiliary Air Field for a training flight. As the aircraft began to climb the engine began sputtering and then quit. The plane came down and was damaged beyond all repair, and the pilot received non-life-threatening injuries. The pilot reported that when the engine failed all instruments were reading normal. The cause of the crash is unknown.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated October 29, 1944.
Beverly, Massachusetts – November 2, 1984
Shortly after midnight on November 2, 1984, a Piper PA-28, (N9930W), with two people aboard, was attempting to land in foggy conditions at Beverly Airport when the plane crashed and burned in a wooded area about a quarter of a mile from the runway. There were no survivors.
The Beverly police had received a report of a low flying aircraft, but no report of a plane crash, and no planes had been reported overdue or missing. The crash site was discovered by hikers the following day.
Sources:
Providence Sunday Journal, “Wrecked Plane, 2 Bodies Found In Beverly, Mass.”, November 4, 1984, page C-1
Aviation Safety Network, Wikibase #39942
Beverly, Massachusetts – February 22, 1984
On February 8, 1984, a student pilot and his instructor were practicing touch-and-go landings at Beverly Airport when the aircraft crashed on approach to the runway. The student survived, the instructor did not. It was unclear who was in control of the aircraft at the time as the plane was equipped with dual controls.
Source:
The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), “Flight Instructor Dies In Beverly Plane Crash”, February 23, 1984, page 9
Beverly, Massachusetts – June 13, 1944
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On the morning of June 13, 1944, Lt. (jg.) Thomas J. Graham was attempting to land at the Beverly Naval Auxiliary Air Field in an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 42495), when the aircraft suddenly lost power while it was at an altitude of 200 feet, and he crashed. The aircraft was severely damaged, and the pilot was injured.
Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report, dated June 13, 1944
Beverly, Massachusetts – July 16, 1936
On July 16, 1936, well known orchestra leader Orville Knapp, 28, went to East Boston Airport where he’d been storing his airplane since recently flying it to Boston for an engagement. At 4:30 p.m. Knapp took off for Beverly Airport in Beverly, Massachusetts, to practice making emergency landings with his motor shut off. He landed at Beverly about a half-hour later, and spoke with those in charge at the airport regarding his intentions, and was granted permission.
A few minutes later he took off for his first practice run and circled the airfield. As he was banking the aircraft to come in for a landing at the north end of the field, he shut the motor off while less than 300 feet in the air. The aircraft dove in and crashed, but didn’t burn.
Several witnesses ran to the wreck and worked to remove Mr. Knapp who expired just after they freed him.
Orville Knapp was survived by his wife, Gloria (Grafton) Knapp, a Broadway actress.
Source:
New York Times, “Orville Knapp Dies In Airplane Crash”, July 17, 1936.
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