1958 — Oct 18, USN Constellation plane crash on approach, ~Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada-11

— 11 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (140053 to 145061). 11-7-2011.
— 11 Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Bodies of Five More crash Victims Found.” 10-22-1958, p. 1.
— 11 Evening Standard, Uniontown, PA. “Divers Seek Bodies…Plane Crash.” 10-20-1958, p. 1.
— 11 Mt. Vernon Register News, IL. “Big Navy Radar Plane Crashes.” 10-18-1958, p. 1.
— 11 Planecrashinfo.com. “1958…Accident Details…USN…Placentia Bay, Canada, Oct 18.”

Narrative Information

Baugher: “141294 w/o Oct 18, 1958, Argentia Bay, Newfoundland 1000 feet short of the runway while making instrument landing approach. 11 of 29 aboard killed.” (Baugher. 11-7-2011.)

Planecrashinfo.com: “Lockheed WV-2 Super Constellation…29 passengers and crew… Crashed 1,000 feet short of the Argentia, NAS runway.” (Planecrashinfo.com.)

Newspapers

Oct 18: “Argentia, Nfl. (AP) – A big U.S. Navy Constellation with 29 men aboard plunged into the Atlantic in darkness early today while attempting an instrument landing. One serviceman was killed and 10 are missing. Eighteen others were picked up by crash boats in a dramatic rescue that defied bad weather and the darkness. The four-engine craft, equipped for radar patrol, was transferring personnel from the U.S. Naval base at Patuxent River, Md., to Argentia.

“The plane was coming in shortly after midnight. It struck the water just short of the base’s runway. Crash boats from the Argentia base sped out to the scene and picked up survivors. A search was continuing for the missing.

“The plane itself was to become part of the U.S. barrier aircraft group that flies radar early warning patrols over the North Atlantic.

“Argentia is on the west side of Placenta Bay on Newfoundland’s south coast. About 3,000 Americans man the base.

“Details of the crash were sketchy and the cause was not immediately known….

“At Argentia, it was reported the 10 missing were believed trapped inside the plane, still afloat in
choppy waters a half mile offshore. Efforts were being made to reach them despite the fog and the rain.

“A Navy officer said Argentia’s runway ‘is well lighted…We don’t know what happened.’….” (Mt. Vernon Register News, IL. “Big Navy Radar Plane Crashes.” 10-18-1958, p. 1.)

Oct 20: “Argentia, Nfld. (AP) – Seven U. S. Navy divers went down in Placentia Bay here today looking for the bodies of 10 men believed trapped in an American radar patrol plane. One man was known to have been killed in Saturday’s crash, 10 are missing and 13 were rescued.

“A wing of the giant Navy super constellation was found Sunday but there was no sign of the fuselage. Officials have expressed the opinion that wind-whipped waves may have broken it up.

“The plane plunged into 30 feet of water about 1,000 feet from a runway of the U.S. Naval Base here during an instrument landing. It was raining and foggy at the time but a Navy officer said the field was well lighted.

“Winds whipped the bay into a fury Sunday and halted search operations for six hours.

“Lt. John Koskey, the plane’s co-pilot, said he surrendered the controls to the pilot seconds before the crash. Altitude then was 250 feet. The weather was bad. The pilot is among the missing. Koskey said things happened so quickly he didn’t know the plane was in trouble ‘until I felt something rough.’ He escaped through a window in the submerged nose….” (Evening Standard, Uniontown, PA. “Divers Seek Bodies From Plane Crash.” 10-20-1958, p. 1.)

Oct 22, United Press International: “Argentia, Nfld. (UPI) — Frogmen planned to resume their search Wednesday for the bodies of 5 of the 11 men who died when a U.S. navy Super Constellation crashed into Argentia bay last Saturday. The frogmen brought up 5 bodies Tuesday. One body was found shortly after the crash, and 18 men were rescued.” (Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Bodies of Five More crash Victims Found.” 10-22-1958, p. 1.)

Oct 25, Ottumwa Daily Courier: “Lyle W. (Cy) Foster, 56, former Ottumwan, is missing and presumed dead following crash of a navy Constellation plane at Newfoundland on October 18. He was a field director for the American Red Cross, living near Annapolis, Md. Foster was returning to the navy base at Argentia, Newfoundland, having spent a month’s leave with his wife at Admiral Heights, near Annapolis.

“The plane was taking equipment and personnel from Patuxent River, Md., to Argentia when it crashed into Placentia Bay. Eighteen of the 29 men aboard were rescued by surface vessels, but Foster was said to be one of the 10 believed caught in the sunken fuselage. Boats and helicopters searched the area without finding a trace of other survivors, however….” (Ottumwa Daily Courier, IA. “Cy Foster Missing After Plane Crash.” 10-25-1958, p. 6.)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (140053 to 145061). Nov 7, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries17.html

Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Bodies of Five More crash Victims Found.” 10-22-1958, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=44848081

Evening Standard, Uniontown, PA. “Divers Seek Bodies From Plane Crash.” 10-20-1958, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=84543998

Mt. Vernon Register News, IL. “Big Navy Radar Plane Crashes.” 10-18-1958, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=162523154

Ottumwa Daily Courier, IA. “Cy Foster Missing After Plane Crash.” 10-25-1958, p. 6. Accessed 1-29-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ottumwa-daily-courier-oct-25-1958-p-6/

Planecrashinfo.com. “1958…Accident Details…USN…Placentia Bay, Canada, Oct 18.” Accessed at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1958/1958-52.htm