Quonset Point, Rhode Island – January 11, 1944
U.S. Navy Wildcat
U.S. Navy Photo
On January 11, 1944, an F4F Wildcat, (Bu. No. 11863), with a target tow sleeve attached, was in the process of taking off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. At the time, the aircraft had been cleared by the tower for takeoff. When the Wildcat was about two-thirds of the way down the runway, a Grumman J2E Duck suddenly landed ahead of, and in the path of the Wildcat. To avoid a collision, the pilot of the Wildcat skidded to the left and went off the runway and plowed into a snowbank. The pilot was not injured, but the Wildcat was in need of a major overhaul.
Nobody aboard the other aircraft was injured.
Grumman Duck
U. S. Navy Photo
Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated January 11, 1944
