1969 — June 14, Private Beechcraft (4) and Piper (5) collide in haze, off Waterford CT–all 9

–9 Aviation Safety Network. Piper Apache and Beechcraft collide near Waterford CT, 6-14-1969
–9 National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification: NYC68A0111…Piper PA-23.”
–9 UPI. “Coast Guard to Resume Search Today.” Naugatuck News, CT. 6-16-1969, p. 3.
–9 UPI. “Four Bodies Recovered From Plane.” Naugatuck News, CT. 6-17-1969, p. 2.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database:
“Date: 14-Jun-1969
“Time: 10:10
“Type: Piper PA-23-160 Apache
“Owner/operator: Private
“Registration: N4101P
“MSN: 23-1581
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
“Other fatalities: 4
….
“Location: near Waterford, CT
“Phase: En route
“Nature: Private ….”

National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification: NYC68A0111…Piper PA-23.”
“File 3-1196
“Date 69/6/14, time -1010
“Location NR. Waterford, Conn.
“Aircraft data Piper PA-23…N4101P…
“Injuries CR- 1
PX- 4
OT- 4 [Beech 35-B35]
“Flight Purpose Noncommercial…Pleasure/Personal Transportation
“Pilot Data Commercial, age 37, 1570 total hours, 45 in type, instrument rated. ….
“Type of Accident Collision with aircraft: Both in flight
….
“Probable Cause(s) Pilot in command – failed to see and avoid other aircraft….
“Factor(s) Pilot in command – failed to follow approved procedures, directives, etc.
Weather – low ceiling
Weather – obstructions to vision
Weather – fog
“Weather Briefing No record of briefing received
“Weather Forecast Forecast substantially correct
“Sky Condition Broken/lower scattered
“Ceiling at…Site 600
“Visibility at…Site 2 miles or less
“Obstructions to vision…Fog

Newspapers

June 15, AP: “Waterford, Conn. (AP) – Two light planes collided over Long Island Sound Saturday [14th] killing five persons. The husband and three children of one of the victims were still missing when the Coast Guard ended a search because of haze.

“Passengers on several pleasure craft in the sound witnessed the collision, the Coast Guard said, and saw the two planes plummet into the water about a quarter mile off the shore of Waterford, which is four miles west of New London.

“The Coast Guard said a pleasure craft pulled the body of Mrs. James V. Richey of Brooklyn, N.Y. from the water. Later, the cream and red Cessna four-seater in which she had been flying with her husband, their nine-year-old son and two daughters, aged six and four, was found in about 50-feet of water nearby, but the rest of the family was not in it.

“Earlier, searchers found the bodies of four Californians in or near the blue and white Debonair four-seater they had been flying. The plane had crashed in about 18 feet of water.

“The Coast Guard said the Richey plane with the husband as pilot, had taken off from Linden, N.J., on a flight to eastern Long Island. The Debonair started out from Trumbull Airport in Groton, Conn., the Coast Guard said. They collided about 11 a.m., a time when there is usually many private boasts in the sound, the Coast Guard said.

“An armada of Coast Guard vessels and pleasure craft participated in the search for the bodies but it had to be called off in the early evening when haze diminished visibility. The Coast Guard said a helicopter would begin the search again at first light today.

“The Debonair was piloted by Jack Johnstone of San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Johnstone’s body, that of his wife and their two passengers, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Plumb, also from San Juan Capistrano, were taken to the underwater sound laboratory in New London.” (Associated Press. “Five die as planes crash.” Lowell Sunday Sun, MA. 6-15-1969, A3.)

June 16, UPI: “Waterford, Conn. (UPI) – The Coast Guard was to resume its search today for a New York man and his three children who died in the mid-air collision of two light planes over Long Island Sound Saturday. Five bodies have already been recovered.

“Although bad weather forced a halt to the search Sunday afternoon, the Coast Guard said it had absolute confirmation that there were nine persons in the two planes….

“The planes collided in heavy haze about a mile off shore near New London, Conn. ….

“The Richey family had left Linden, N.J. early Saturday for Westerly, R.I., where Mrs. Richey’s mother lives.

“The Johnstone plane had left Trumbull Airport in Groton, for Buffalo, N.Y., but was returning due to the poor visibility.

“Witnesses said both planes were flying low, and came together at a 45 degree angle.

“One of the planes reportedly banked through the haze moments before the collision in an apparent effort to avoid the other craft….” (UPI. “Coast Guard to Resume Search Today.” Naugatuck News, CT. 6-16-1969, p. 3.)

June 17, UPI: “Waterford, Conn. (UPI) – The bodies of four of nine persons killed in the collision of two light planes Saturday over the Long Island Sound shoreline have been recovered by the Coast Guard in the wreckage of one of the planes. The bodies, recovered Monday were identified as James V. Ritchey of Brooklyn, N.Y. and his three children, Jamie, 8, Elizabeth, 6, and Georgia, 4. The body of Mrs. Ritchey was recovered the afternoon of the crash, as were the bodies of four persons in the other plane….

“The plane, a red and white twin-engine Piper Apache, was lifted from some 15 feet of water about 450 yards offshore by a 46-foot Coast Guard buoy tender called in from New York City to assist in the search. Navy scuba divers from the Submarine Base at Groton aided in the recovery….

“The planes were [flying] about 300 feet off the water….

“The Plumbs were former Terryville residents who moved to California some years ago. They had been spending a few days with relatives in Giants Neck.” (UPI. “Four Bodies Recovered From Plane.” Naugatuck News, CT. 6-17-1969, p. 2.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Five die as planes crash.” Lowell Sunday Sun, MA. 6-15-1969, A3. Accessed 7-17-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-jun-15-1969-p-3/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database. Piper Apache and Beechcraft Debonair collide near Waterford CT, 6-14-1969. Accessed 7-17-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/3451 and at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/11699

National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification: NYC68A0111…Piper PA-23.” Accessed 7-17-2023 at: https://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/brief.aspx?ev_id=7946&key=0

UPI. “Coast Guard to Resume Search Today.” Naugatuck News, CT. 6-16-1969, p. 3. Accessed 7-17-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/naugatuck-daily-news-jun-16-1969-p-3/

UPI. “Four Bodies Recovered From Plane.” Naugatuck News, CT. 6-17-1969, p. 2. Accessed 7-17-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/naugatuck-daily-news-jun-17-1969-p-2/