VPNAVY VP-9 Mishap - Soviet Shot Down 22JUN55 - No Loss Of Life
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MishapVP-931 MishapMishap

1950's

MishapsMISHAPs: 19 SEP 50 A/C: PB4Y-2 PB4Y-1 Location: NAS Whidbey Island, Washington 4mi. SE, Coupville Tower in middle of channel Strike: Yes BUNO: 59840 CAUSE: 7500' SPIN Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [25MAR98]

UPDATE "...My father, David Garrison Candler ("Red"), was on the VP-931 flight that went down 19 Sept 1950 off NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. He had been in active service in WWII, served in the Phillipines. Reserve unit, based at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, was called up 2 weeks before their plane went down. Would love to contact any other members or descendants of his units. Judy Kay Candler gaddessmom@aol.com..." [26MAR2009]


MishapsMISHAPs: 18 DEC 50 A/C: P2V-3WP2 Neptune LOCATION: NAS Whidbey Island, Washington 50-18-00N 125-42-00W TYPE: Crash STRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 10/KILLED BUNO: 124357 CAUSE: Crashed and was destroyed Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [17MAR99]

UPDATE "...In the darkness of early morning,on 18 December 1950..." Contributed by Louis F.Mitros (formerly AO2 - 1st Ordnanceman - Crew No.1) sor5tim@aol.com [18FEB2004]

In the darkness of early morning,on 18 December 1950, P2V-3W BuNo. 124357 departed NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in response to a submarine alert off the coast of Washington. Shortly thereafter radio contact with the aircraft was lost. Search and rescue was initiated for a period of time without success and, consequently, the aircraft and crew were listed as missing. Approximately nine months later a Canadian aircraft, straying off course, found the wreckage on Mount McCreight near Campbell River, Vancouver Island. There were no survivors.

The crew members were:

    Pilot - LT Lalonde M. Pinne
    Co-Pilot - LT(jg) Roy T. Anderson
    Co-Pilot - Ens James F. Morris
    Navigator - Midshipman George B. Hogaboom
    Plane Captain - ADC Walter W. Whitehead
    1st Radioman - ALC Milton E. Berquist
    2nd Radioman - AT2Robert C. Stockton
    Radarman - Frederick J. Sinclair USNR
    1st Ordnanceman - AO1 Edward G. Lunn
    Crewman - ATAN James F. Christiana
    Photographer - AF3Verl L. Hancock

I was a member of "Ready Crew" that night and just prior to engine startup one of the above crew members came out and announced that our flight was cancelled and that they would be taking our place in the aircraft.------- Ed Lunn was a close friend.

MishapsMISHAPs: 05 FEB 51 A/C: P2V-3WP2 Neptune LOCATION: XXXXX TYPE: Crash SRIKE: Yes DEATHS: XX BUNO: 124277 CAUSE: Crashed and was destroyed


MishapsMISHAPs: 08 MAY 51 A/C: P2V-2 P Neptune Location: NAS Kwajalein, Marshall Islands Strike: NO BUNO: 39342 Cause: ASW-Patrol. Overshot landingg & G/L Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [17MAR99]

UPDATE History ThumbnailCameraVPB-931 Mishap"...VPB-931 - NAS Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. Private collection of LT Brad Bradbury (deceased)..." Contributed by Curtis Deal dealc@comcast.net [31OCT2008]

UPDATE History ThumbnailCameraVPB-931 Mishap"...VPB-931 - NAS Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. Private collection of LT Brad Bradbury (deceased)..." Contributed by Curtis Deal dealc@comcast.net [31OCT2008]


MishapsMISHAPs: 21 JUN 51 A/C: P2V-2 P Neptune Location: NAS Seattle, Washington Strike: NO BUNO: 39361 Cause: SOLO CHECK FLT; LNDG ACC Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [17MAR99]


MishapsMISHAPs: 18 FEB 52 A/C: P2V-3W P Neptune Location: NAS Kodiak, Alaska; NAS Adak, Alaska Strike: NO BUNO: 124289 Cause: EMERGENCY LNDG, FUMES IN PLANE, SWERVED OFF RWY Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [17MAR99]

UPDATE "...The picture of the crash (collapsing nose wheel) interests me because our crew was at Adak when it happened. We were taking off for Kodiak a couple of days before plane # 4 crashed, when our plane hit a large snowbank just as we were lifting off, due a blizzard the night before. We spun off the runway, knocked off two or three runway lights and came to sudden stop in another snowbank at the end of the runway. Since we didn't know what had happened, we didn't waste any time getting out of that airplane. The ground crew finally found us and towed the plane back to the hanger where we checked for damage. Fortunately there appeared to be none. Early the next morning we were on the runway preparing for take-off, when the pilot ( Cmdr. Jim Todd) noticed the oil pressure was not what it should be. So we taxied back to the hanger where Charlie Worrell and Greg (I don't remember his last name) began checking the engine out and lo and behold they found a rag someplace in the engine that was apparently causing the problem. As a result they decided the plane needed a new engine which had to be shipped from the lower 48. It was going to take about 6 weeks so the powers that be, decided that our crew would wait at Adak for the engine rather than flying us back to Kodiak. So it was during this waiting time that our crew was assigned the task of removing equipment from the crashed plane. I understand the plane was dismantled and shipped to San Francisco where it was rebuilt and put back service...BROWER, Don casdon@earthlink.net..." [19FEB2001]

UPDATE VP-931 Mishap Photo"...Some photos of 'Queenie'. I took these at Adak a few days after the crash. I was ordered to cannibalize as much as I could since it was a full strike. Got a ton of parts and components for use back at Kodiak. When the brass heard about it, we had to reinstall it all. I think the guy taking inventory is L`il Bill Writtman..." Contributed by William (Nick) Menhinick ilmwam@prodigy.net [12JUL2000]

UPDATE VP-931 Mishap Photo"...Some photos of 'Queenie'..." Contributed by William (Nick) Menhinick ilmwam@prodigy.net [12JUL2000]

UPDATE VP-931 Mishap Photo"...Some photos of 'Queenie'..." Contributed by William (Nick) Menhinick ilmwam@prodigy.net [12JUL2000]

UPDATE VP-931 Mishap Photo"...Some photos of 'Queenie'..." Contributed by William (Nick) Menhinick ilmwam@prodigy.net [12JUL2000]

UPDATE VP-931 Mishap Photo "...The photo of plane #4 VP-931 in NAS Adak, Alaska may be the one shown in Mishaps (18 Feb 52). I was not aboard when this happened. But my records show the date to be (12 Feb 52) and to my best recall, the cause was a collapsing nose wheel. No one hurt..." Contributed by Jim Lutes jelutes@ivic.net [12APR99]


MishapsMISHAPs: 00 SEP 52 A/C: P2V-2 P Neptune Location: NAS Whidbey Island, Washington Strike: NO BUNO: 39364
UPDATE History ThumbnailCamera "...Here is a picture of Crew 5's (VP-931) aircraft (P2V2 BUNO: 39364) which was being used for a training flight in September 52 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. This was shortly after VP-931 returned from NAS Kodiak, Alaska. During a series of touch and go's the gear collapsed. After changing both engines and doing some sheet metal work on the belly, the aircraft was considered to be airworthy again..." Contributed by Daniel E. Jessup pipepurr@hotmail.com [21AUG2000]


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