Off Harwich, Ma. – May 19, 1946

Off Harwich Massachusetts – May 19, 1946

 

F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy Photo

     On May 19, 1946, Lt. (Jg.) Richard M. Kimball took off from the Squantum Naval Air Station in an F6F-5 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 70556), for a routine training flight.  His flight path took him over the water off the coast of Harwich, Massachusetts.  There he encountered a fog bank lying three to five miles off shore, with a low cloud ceiling of 50 to 100 feet covering the entire area.  As he was approaching the shoreline, he began attempting to drop below the cloud ceiling to obtain a visual reference with the ground and while doing so crashed into the water about one-quarter mile from shore.  The aircraft broke apart on impact and Lt. (Jg.) Kimball was killed.    

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated May 19, 1946 

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