Massachusetts

Northeast Airlines Flight 285 is a scheduled passenger operation originating at Boston, Massachusetts, and terminating at New York, New York, with intermediate stops serving Hyannis, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. On September 15, 1957, the flight originated on schedule, its crew consisting of Captain Vincent L. Pitts, Reserve Captain Roger W. Sweetland, serving as copilot, and Stewardess Nancy J. Lehan. Flight 285 was routine until it reached Martha's Vineyard where it landed at 2007 following a missed approach in poor weather conditions. The flight departed Martha's Vineyard for New Bedford at 2019, about 50 minutes behind schedule, the result of the missed approach, IFR delays, and accumulated minor delays. The flight to New Bedford was in and on top of Instrument weather conditions and was conducted according to an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight plan. The clearance given the flight by ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) through company radio was as follows. "ATC clears Northeast 285 to the New Bedford middle marker, via direct Otis, Red 94, to maintain 4,000, to make climb to 2,500 at the Martha's Vineyard radio beacon before proceeding on course. Report on course and report the Otis radio beacon." At departure there was sufficient fuel for the flight to New Bedford, and, if necessary to the designated alternate airport, Boston, with the required reserve upon arrival there. Also, at this time, according to the company load manifest, the aircraft was loaded to a gross weight of 22,443 pounds, well under the maximum allowable of 25,346 pounds. The load was distributed within the center of gravity limitations of the aircraft. At 2024 the flight reported to the company radio at Martha's Vineyard that it was over the Martha's Vineyard radio beacon, "2,500 feet on course." At 2029 it again contacted the company at Martha's Vineyard and reported it was then over Otis at 4,000 feet. A few minutes later Flight 285 contacted the New Bedford taper controller and informed him it was unable to give the Otis report to the company at Boston. The controller took the progress report and requested the flight to contact Providence approach control (Providence controls IFR flights in the New Bedford area). The flight immediately contacted Providence approach control and was cleared to maintain 4,000 feet to the compass locater at the New Bedford middle marker and to report over the marker. This was acknowledged. Immediately thereafter Providence cleared Flight 285 for an approach to the New Bedford Airport and requested it to report leaving 4,000 feet and then switch to the New Bedford tower. At 2036 the flight reported leaving 4,000 feet. Flight 285 then contacted the New Bedford tower operator and thereafter, at 2038, according to the controller, stated it was starting an ILS approach. The controller gave the flight the latest weather as follows: Indefinite 200, obscuration; visibility one mile; fog; wind southeast 3; altimeter 30.02. He also cleared the flight to land, ILS approach, straight in to runway 5, and requested that it call the tower when inbound at the outer marker. Following this clearance the captain of another Northeast flight, 275, which had shortly before, at 2031, taken off from runway 23, the reciprocal of 5, gave Flight 285 the following information. "It'll be tight." Flight 285 reported that it had completed the procedure turn and was inbound over the outer marker. The controller acknowledged this report which was the last communication with the flight. He logged the report at 2046, shortly after it was received. The airplane clip trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located 4,000 feet short of runway 05 threshold. Both pilots and ten passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crashed into the Salem Harbor while performing a JATO system demo flight. Two crew members were killed while four others were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.
Those killed were:
LCDR Albert P. Hartt Jr.,
AO2 William J. Tarker Jr.

The crew was performing a local training sortie at Fort Devens AFB consisting of materials dropping on a supply mission. On final, the airplane hit tree tops and crashed in flames 1,5 mile short of runway. The pilot was killed while the second occupant was injured.

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.

Shortly after takeoff from Westover AFB, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the aircraft banked left and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all four crew members.

Shortly after takeoff from Otis AFB, while climbing in clouds at an altitude between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, the VC-47 collided with a USAF Lockheed F-94B Starfire registered 51-5407 and carrying a crew of two. Both airplanes went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located few miles from the airbase. All 12 crew members on both aircraft were killed. It appears that the collision occurred while both aircraft were flying in clouds and each crew failed to see each other.
Douglas VC-47A crew:
Lt Col William C. Bryson,
Maj Benjamin C. Beckman,
Maj Leland A. Berg,
Cpt Lane S. Hendricks,
Cpt Clifton Foster,
Cpt Richard E. Heder,
Cpt William H. Erwin,
T/Sgt William D. Pollock,
T/Sgt Deane B. Cooper,
Afc Harry E. Hardesty.
Lockheed F-94B Starfire crew:
Cpt Charles E. Smoke, pilot,
1st Lt Thaddeus C. Kulpinski, radar observer.

Flight 604 departed Miami, Florida, at 2301, January 20, 1948, on an instrument flight rules clearance, non-stop to Newark, New Jersey, to cruise at 15,000 feet via Airway Amber 7 to Jacksonville, Florida, and Airway Amber 6 to Alma, Georgia, thence direct to Spartanburg, South Carolina, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Washington, D. C., and via Airway Amber 7 to Newark, Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence. Rhode Island, were designated as alternate air ports. In order to remain above the overcast, the flight requested changes of cruising altitude between Winston-Salem and Washington, and at 0232, at which time it reported over Washington, the flight was cruising at 21,000 feet. Shortly after passing Washington, Flight 604 was cleared to descend en route to Newark and to cross Philadelphia at 7,000 feet, and was advised that no traffic was reported above 7,000 feet. A descent was established and at 0253 the flight reported over Philadelphia "at 8,000 feet descending." Shortly thereafter the company radio station at LaGuardia Field, New York, advised the flight that the 0240 weather observation for Newark indicated a ceiling of 700 feet and visibility of one-half mile. Immediately thereafter the flight was given an air traffic control clearance "to Flatbush and LaGuardia Approach Control" to cross Keyport and Flatbush at 2,500 feet. Upon receiving this clearance the captain immediately requested a confirmation from the New York dispatcher, inasmuch as no prior notice had been received of a change of destination from Newark to LaGuardia. In acknowledgment the flight was informed that the dispatcher desired the flight to proceed to LaGuardia Field. During the period of the flight from midnight until 0300, the ceilings had lowered throughout the New York-New Jersey area. At the time of the re-clearance the LaGuardia weather was being reported as ceiling 500 feet, visibility one and one-quarter miles, and light snow. The flight continued its descent on the east course of the Philadelphia radio range and reached 2,500 feet in the vicinity of Freehold, New Jersey, over which the crew reported passing at 0309. Immediately after this report the flight changed to the LaGuardia Approach Control frequency. LaGuardia Approach Control immediately cleared the flight to descend to 1,500 feet and approved a straight-in landing on Runway 4. Since no material change had been observed in the LaGuardia weather, the flight was again informed that the ceiling was reported as 500 feet, the visibility one and one-quarter miles, and the wind calm. The flight passed directly over the airport without attempting a landing approach and shortly thereafter reported over the range station which is located three and two-tenths miles northeast of the airport. The flight was then cleared to use the reciprocal runway, 22, but the aircraft returned southeastward, passing to the east of LaGuardia Field again without attempting a landing approach. During this period the LaGuardia weather observer completed the 0325 weather observation and approximately 3 minutes thereafter the flight was advised that this report indicated an indefinite ceiling 400 feet and visibility one and one-half miles. The flight continued southwestward in order to establish an approach to Runway 4. Approach Control asked the flight at this time whether it desired a GCA (Ground Controlled Approach Radar) monitored approach. The captain declined a controlled approach but stated that he would accept a monitored approach. At approximately 0330 the aircraft again passed over the airport in a northeasterly direction; the flight advised Approach Control that the ceiling was not 500 feet and requested a report of the current Boston weather. The 0230 Boston weather report was transmitted to the flight, indicating a ceiling of 8,000 feet, 3 miles visibility, smoke, and haze. Upon receiving this report, the flight requested and received clearance to Boston from Air Traffic Control and from the company dispatcher. At 0337, the flight reported leaving Rye, New York, en route to Boston, climbing to 5,000 feet. Shortly after the flight passed over Hartford, Connecticut, at 0354, the company station at Boston advised the captain that the flight was cleared to the Boston Tower. Before reaching Boston the flight was informed that the 0400 weather report for that station indicated "ceiling 600 feet, sky obscured, visibility one mile, light snow; surface wind southeast 8 miles per hour." After passing Franklin, Massachusetts, at 0409, the flight changed to the Boston Tower frequency. When asked by the flight whether the Instrument Landing System (ILS) was operating, the tower advised the flight that the monitor panel indicated this system to be operating normally. Shortly thereafter the tower cleared the flight for a straight-in approach to Runway 4 and cautioned that due to the runway condition braking action was "fair to poor." Initial touchdown was made on Runway 4, at 0417, approximately 2,000 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. After completing approximately 600 feet of its landing roll, the aircraft was seen to skid to the left and crash into a snowbank along the left side of the runway. The right landing gear and nose gear collapsed and the aircraft fell on the right wing, coming to rest on the left side of the runway heading in a westerly direction. Fire broke out in the vicinity of the No. 3 and No. 4 engines and spread rapidly toward the fuselage. However, all passengers were deplaned and were removed from the vicinity of the aircraft without injury resulting from the crash or subsequent fire. Five of the occupants were injured during the evacuation due to the necessity for jumping from the rear exit, which was estimated to be 12 to 16 feet above the ground. Several fire fighting units from the airport and from East Boston were alerted and proceeded to the scene of the accident; however, the aircraft continued to burn for approximately one hour and 30 minutes after the crash.

Enroute, an engine caught fire. The crew tried to extinguish the fire, without success. Due to the situation, all seven occupants decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field. All seven crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was destroyed. It was confirmed that the fire spread from the engine to the wing that detached shortly later, causing the aircraft to crash.

The crew was completing a flight from Gander to Mitchell AFB, Long Island, with an intermediate stop in Westover AFB. While descending to Westover, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and thunderstorm activity, and turn about two hours over the area for improvement. On final approach, while flying at a height of 800 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Tom (1,000 feet high) located about 8 miles northwest of the airport. The aircraft crashed about 180 feet from the summit and was totally destroyed, killing all 25 occupants.
Crew:
F/O Herman J. Valdrini Jr.,
Cpt Henry A. Lebrecht,
1Lt Wayne L. Austin,
F/O Samuel A. Turrentine,
Sgt Daniel R. Roe,
Pfc Howard E. Carson,
Pfc Eulogio Sanchez,
Pfc Rex A. Tansey.
Passengers:
Lt Frank G. Meriam,
Lt Wilfred U. Johnson,
Lt George E. Orford,
Hugh J. Worth,
Lee Winnard,
Russell S. Scott,
Alfred L. Warm,
Arnold J. Simons,
Ernest R. Gillis,
George R. Benfield,
George E. Fleming,
Arthur C. Miller,
Stanley P. Warshaw,
Gregory S. Davenport,
David F. Archilles,
Lt Pasquale P. Coviello,
Mr. Arthur Bailey (American Red Cross).

On approach to Westover AFB, while completing a training mission, the aircraft was too low and hit the slope of Mt Holyoke located some 11 km north of the airbase. All ten crewmen were killed in the crash and the aircraft christened 'Line of Duty' was destroyed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Talbot M. Malcolm, pilot,
Sgt Arnold H. Anderson,
2nd Lt William M. Ashley Jr.
Sgt Wilburn H. Dechert, engineer,
2nd Lt Donald D. Dowden, navigator,
Sgt Ambrose D. Griffith,
2nd Lt John D. Logan,
Cpl Robert J. Ohr,
Cpl Kearney W. Padgett,
Cpl Ronald Charles Lloyd.