Connecticut River – August 26, 1980

Connecticut River – August 26, 1980

     At about 3:00 p.m. on August 26, 1980, a single-engine Beech Mustang with a family of four from Long Island, New York, aboard, took off from Goodspeed Airport in East Haddam.  Just after becoming airborne, the aircraft was caught in a down draft and crashed into the Connecticut River.  All four occupants escaped without injury before the plane sank, and were rescued by nearby pleasure boaters.

     Source:

     Westerly Sun, (R.I.), “None Hurt As Plane Ends Up In River”, August 27, 1980, page 2.  

East Haddam, CT – June 24, 1949

East Haddam, Connecticut – June 24, 1949

     On June 24, 1949, an F-47N aircraft (Ser. No. 44-89432) belonging to the Connecticut Air National Guard crashed in the Hadlyme section of East Haddam while on a training flight.  Witnesses reported the plane to be trailing dark smoke as it went down.  The pilot, 2nd Lt. Robert S. Leighton, 25, of Portland, Maine, was killed. 

     Investigators were unable to determine a cause for the crash.

     Lt. Leighton is buried in Saint Hyacinth Cemetery in Westbrook, Maine.

     This accident was the third fatality involving a Connecticut Air Guard F-47 in two years, prompting Major General Frederick G. Reincke  to ground all F-47’s belonging to the Connecticut National Guard until further notice.

     Sources:

     The New Era, (Deep River Ct.) “F-47’s Grounded Following Crash”, June 30, 1049, Pg. 4 

     Air Force Crash Investigation Report, #49-6-24-1

     www.findagrave.com, Memorial #157286689

   

       

Return to Top ▲Return to Top ▲