Wallingford, Connecticut – November 23, 1940

     On November 23, 1940, Omar Simonds, 20, a student at Yale University, and part of the University’s student pilot training program, was taking off from Lufbery Airport when the aircraft pancaked into a gully near the end of the runway.   He was transported to New Haven Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.  It was reported that the airplane, although heavily damaged,  could be repaired.   

     Source: New York Times, “Student Pilot In Crash”, November 24, 1940