Charlestown, Rhode Island – September 22, 1944
U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo
On the afternoon of September 22, 1944, a navy F6F-3 Hellcat fighter, (Bu. No. 26052), was taking off from the Charlestown Navy Auxiliary Air Field when the engine suddenly lost all power just after the plane became airborne. The aircraft fell back to the runway and the fuselage broke in half, but there was no fire. The pilot suffered serious injuries and the aircraft was a total loss.
Source:
U. S. Navy accident report dated September 22, 1944.
