June 07, 1960 Accident The Independent (Long Beach, CA.) Wednesday June 08 1960, page 1 6 Dead in Service Air Crashes PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION (UPI) - A Navy jet fighter plane plowed into an Air Force helicopter which had just taken part in a successful air rescue following another plane accident. Four servicemen were killed.
Two Air Force men aboard the helicopter were killed, along with two Navy men who were standing near the crash scene. Two other bystanders were injured.
Victims aboard the helicopter were 1st Lt. Frank A. Williams, Richmond, Ind., and SSgt. Clyde Chathams, Jackson, Va. Navy personnel killed were Hospitalman Lawrence H. Priest of Downer's Grove, Ill. and Aviation Boatswain's Mate Pierre G. Arnold, East Greenwich, R.I.
Capt. Francis M. Parson of Euclid, Ohio, pilot of the jet, was in critical condition.
The accident-occurred at this naval air installation just northeast of Washington.
~~ADDITIONAL INFORMATION~~ June 07, 1960 Accident The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio) Wednesday June 08 1960, page 1 4 Dead in Service Air Crashes The helicopter had been flown to Patuxent from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia to assist in the rescue of two Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) men who had bailed out of a crippled B-57 jet near Great Mills, MD.
The FAA men, who ditched their converted jet bomber during a routine accuracy check of automatic radio signal equipment, were not hurt. The plane crashed in an uninhibited area.
The crash at Patuxent occurred just after the F8U Crusader jet was launched from a steam catapult. Witness said it went off with one wing low, and hit the helicopter, which was preparing to take off. |