Block Island Sound – August 5, 1983
Updated March 16, 2019
On the evening of August 5, 1983, a four-seat, Piper Archer PA-28, (N6877J), owned by Yankee Airways, landed at Block Island Airport in Rhode Island, and discharged three passengers.
At about 8:30 p.m. the aircraft took off towards Connecticut with a lone 25-year-old female pilot aboard. A second aircraft owned by Yankee Airways left just afterwards and followed the first aircraft.
The destination of both aircraft had been Groton, Connecticut, but while in-route the pilots were informed that heavy fog and low clouds had settled in over the Groton area and both were advised to head for Elizabeth Airport at Fisher’s Island. (Fisher’s Island is located in Long Island Sound off the coast of Connecticut.)
As the two airplanes were making their way to Fisher’s Island, the first was observed to crash into the water and “cartwheel” before sinking. A search and rescue operation was instituted, but initially nothing was found, and the search was hampered by increasing fog. The following day the Coast Guard Cutter Cape Fairweather recovered two wheel assemblies from the aircraft floating in the water. Later that day the owner of a pleasure boat reported finding aircraft debris about five miles south of Fisher’s Island.
On August 8, the body of the missing pilot was recovered about one mile off Block Island.
The missing aircraft was found three years later on July 25, 1986, when the wreckage was snagged on a fishing net and hauled to the surface. The plane was located shortly after dawn off the northwest coast of Fisher’s Island near Hay Harbor.
Sources:
New London Day, “Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Pilot”, August 7, 1983, page A-1
The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), Search For Pilot Of Downed Plane Halted”, August 7, 1983, page 8
The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), “Pilot’s Body Found”, August 9, 1983, page 8.
Providence Evening Bulletin, “Body Of Woman Pilot Recovered From Block Island Sound”, August 9, 1983, page A-7
The Day, (New London, Ct.), “Plane Wreck Found”, July 25, 1986, page 1.
