Connecticut Air National Guard Crash | New England Aviation History

New Marlboro, MA. – May 12, 1965

June 28, 2018

New Marlboro, MA. – May 12, 1965

On May 12, 1965, two F-100 fighter aircraft of the Connecticut Air National Guard took off from Bradley Field n Winsor Locks, Connecticut, on what was described in the press as an “Air Defense Command mission”. As both aircraft were passing over the town of New Marlboro, Massachusetts, one was seen to suddenly fall out of formation and crash in a thickly wooded area off Route 57 in New Marlboro. The resulting fire reportedly burned five acres.

The cause of the accident was not given.

Both crewmen aboard the downed aircraft were killed. They were identified as Captain Carl E. Beck, 31, of East Granby, Connecticut, and 2nd Lieutenant Robert E. Raeder, 24, of Millbrook, New York. Both men were assigned to the 118th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Connecticut ANG.

The accident was witnessed by Lt. Raeder’s wife who happened to be visiting New Marlboro at the time.

Sources:

New London Day, “Wife Watches As Husband Is Killed In Jet”, May 13, 1965

www.findagrave.com, memorial #125802944 – shows photo of Lt. Raeder and newspaper article “Millbrook Man Dies As His Wife Watches Guard Plane Crash”.

Trumbull Airport – August 19, 1950

April 28, 2016

Trumbull Airport – August 19, 1950

Groton, Connecticut

B-26G Bomber
U.S. Air Force Photo

On August 19, 1950, a Connecticut Air National Guard B-26 aircraft took off from Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, bound for Trumbull Airport in Groton, Connecticut for a transport flight.

There were four men aboard; the pilot, 1st Lt. Martin E. Coleman, 32, of Hartford, Connecticut, and three passengers, Major William B. Duty, Capt. Paul E. Kimper, and Sgt. Kyle C. Thresher.

They arrived at Groton during a driving rainstorm which hampered visibility, and made for slick runway conditions. While attempting to land, the plane skidded off the end of the runway, over a seven foot embankment, and plunged into the Poquonoc River and flipped on its back and sank, leaving only the plane’s belly and landing gear protruding from the water.

Lt. Coleman drowned, but the other three men escaped with minor injuries.

Lt. Coleman was a member of the 118th Fighter Squadron, 103rd Fighter Group, then based at Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. He enlisted in the 118th Observation Squadron (Ct. Nat. Guard) after his high school graduation in 1936, and in the Army Air Corps in 1941. In 1943 he earned his pilots wings and flew a variety of aircraft while serving with the Air Transport Command. After his discharge in 1946, he re-joined the Air National Guard. He’s Buried in Northwood Cemetery, in Windsor, Connecticut. (See www.findagrave.com, Memorial #150775556.)

Sources:

(New London, Ct.) The Day, “Air Force To Probe Fatal Crash At Trumbull Airport”, August 21, 1950

www.findagrave.com

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: 1st Lt. Martin E. Coleman, Capt. Paul E. Kimper, Connecticut Air National Guard Accident, Connecticut Air National Guard Crash, Groton Connecticut History, Major William B. Duty, Poquonoc River Plane Crash, Sgt. Kyle C. Thresher, Trumbul Airport History, Trumbull Airport Accident

Windsor Locks, CT – June 15, 1947

March 18, 2016

Windsor Locks, Connecticut – June 15, 1947

P-47 Thunderbolt – U.S. Air Force Photo

On June 15, 1947, Captain William H. Greenleaf, piloting a P-47N, (#44-89106) took off from Bradley Field in Windsor Locks with seven other P-47 aircraft for a simulated combat training mission. After the aircraft formed up over Bradley Field at 5,000 feet they split into two flights of four aircraft each, and each flight took turns making simulated attacks against the other.

When it was their turn, the group in which Captain Greenleaf was part of, climbed to 7,500 feet and made three successive mock attacks against the other group which was circling below at 5,000 feet. After making two mock runs without incident, they climbed again for a third. It was during this third mock attack that Captain Greenleaf’s aircraft never came out of the dive, and crashed at a step angle in a wooded area where it exploded and burned about 1/4 mile south of Bradley Field.

Capt. Greenleaf was killed instantly.

Investigators were unable to determine the cause of the accident.

Captain Greenleaf was assigned to the 118th Fighter Squadron, 103rd Fighter Group, of the Connecticut Air National Guard.

Source: Army Air Force Crash Investigation Report, # 47-6-15-1

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: Bradley Field Accident, Bradley Field Fatality, Captain William H. Greenleaf, Connecticut Air National Guard Accident, Connecticut Air National Guard Crash, Connecticut Air national Guard History, P-47N 44-89106, Windsor Locks Plane crash

East Granby, CT – July 9, 1982

August 13, 2015

East Granby, Connecticut – July 9, 1982

On July 9, 1982, 1st Lieutenant Daniel Peabody, 27, of the Connecticut Air National Guard, took off from Bradley Field in Windsor Locks in an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, (Ser. No. 78-0585), for a routine training flight. His was one of three A-10s taking part in the training exercise. All of the aircraft were assigned to the 103rd Tactical Fighter Group based at Windsor Locks.

At 3:35 p.m. as he was returning to Bradley Filed and approaching Runway 6, the aircraft lost all power. and Lt. Peabody was forced to eject at an altitude of only 1,000 feet. While he landed safely, the A-10 crashed in a field in East Granby, tumbled across a roadway, and through a boundary fence at the edge of Bradley Field, leaving a debris field that stretched more than 100 yards.

Sources:

The Hour – Norwich Ct. “Air Force To Investigate Jet Crash”, July 10, 1982, Pg. 3, by Martin J. Waters.

The Sun, (Westerly, R.I.), “Guard Pilot Safely Ejects From Fighter Before Crash”, July 11, 1982

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: 103rd Tactical Fighter Group Crash, 103rd Tactical Fighter Group History, 1st Lt. Daniel Peabody, A-10 Thunderbolt II Ser no 78-0585, Bradley Field Accident, Bradley International Airport Crash, Connecticut Air National Guard Accident, Connecticut Air National Guard Crash, Connecticut Aviation Accident, Connecticut Military Plane Crash, Connecticut Plane Crash, Daniel Peabody, East Granby Connecticut History, East Granby Connecticut Plane Crash, East Granby Military Plane Crash, East Granby Plane Crash, Windsor Locks Plane crash

East Granby, CT – July 25, 1964

August 13, 2015

East Granby, Connecticut – July 25, 1964

On July 25, 1964, a Connecticut Air National Guard F-100F Super Sabre fighter jet assigned to the 118th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron took off at 12:43 p.m. from Bradley Field in Windsor Locks for what was to be an Air Defense Command training mission. At 1:44 p.m., as the jet was approaching Bradley Field, it crashed about a half-mile short of the main runway just after the pilot reported a flame-out. Both crewmen aboard were killed.

The dead were identified as:

(Pilot) Captain Thomas G. Jurgelas, 31, of South Windsor, Conn. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Captain Wesley A. Lanz, 29, of Rockville, Conn.

Both men were former classmates, graduating in 1957 from the University of Connecticut.

Source:

New York Times, “2 Connecticut Men Killed In Jet Crash”, July 26, 1964

Providence Journal, “Two Air Guard Officers Killed In Conn. Crash”, July 26, 1964

Filed Under: Connecticut - Military Tagged With: 118th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Accident, Bradley Field, Bradley Field History, Capt. Thomas G. Jurgelas, Capt. Wesley A. Lanz, Connecticut Air National Guard Accident, Connecticut Air National Guard Crash, Connecticut Aviation Accident, Connecticut Aviation History, Connecticut Military Aircraft History, Connecticut Military Plane Crash, East Granby Connecticut History, East Granby Connecticut Plane Crash, East Granby Plane Crash