1967 — Jan 8, USN plane crash after takeoff from Andrews AFB, Upper Marlboro MD– 9

–9 AP. “Navy Plane Crashes: 9 Killed.” Evening Capital, Annapolis, MD, 1-9-1967, p. 1.
–9 Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USN P-2E Neptune, 1-9-1967, MD.
–9 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). 10-7-2011.

Narrative Information

“131495 (VP-661) crashed after takeoff from Andrews AFB, MD Jan 8, 1967. 9 killed.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). 10-7-2011.)

Newspaper

Jan 9: “Upper Marlboro, Md. (AP) – A Navy patrol plane crashed into a field near here yesterday, killing nine Navy reservists on a weekend training mission. The SP2E Neptune patrol plane was manned by four officers and five enlisted men – eight of them from the Washington-Baltimore area. They were assigned to a unit at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington and had taken off from there a few minutes before the crash in light rain. The crash scene was less than 15 miles from Washington.

“One witness, Karen Knick, 11, said she ‘saw this big ball of fire in the air coming down. It crashed, and flames went all over the place.’ Another witness, Kenneth Hook, 50, said the pilot seemed to be trying to pull out of a dive.

“Navy Cmdr. Jack McDonnell, the crew’s flight training officer, said destruction was so complete not even the plane’s tail could be made out. ‘It must have been a fantastic explosion,’ he said.

“Investigators worked in the wreckage trying to find evidence of what caused the crash. McDonell said the crew gave no indication of trouble. The plane carried no bombs or armament, said officers.

“The reservists, assigned to a unit at nearby Andrews AFB had taken off from there a few minutes before the crash in light rain.

“The plane had two conventional and two turbojet engines and could fly at up to 400 miles an hour. Planes of that type are used for long range submarine patrol.

“The Navy identified the victims as:

Cmdr. Charles W. Lurcott, 37, Alexandria, Va., the pilot.
Lt. Cmdr. Frank E. Warner, 44, Hyattsville, Md., the co-pilot.
Lt. Saylor L. Levitz, Bowie, Md.
Lt. William Caspari III, 31, Baltimore.
PO 1 C. James F. Vitak, 36, Baltimore.
PO 2 C. Andrew J. Todd, 35, Kearneysville, W. Vda.
PO 3. Frederick F. Vreeland, Jr., 26, Silver Spring, Md.
PO 3 C. S.A. Wertz, 23, Pikesville, Md.
PO 3 C. Guy W. Fetherston, 35, Forest Knolls, Md.”

(Assoc. Press. “Navy Plane Crashes: 9 Killed.” Evening Capital, Annapolis, MD, 1-9-1967, p.1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Navy Plane Crashes: 9 Killed.” Evening Capital, Annapolis, MD, 1-9-1967, p. 1. Accessed 4-26-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/annapolis-capital-jan-09-1967-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. US Navy Lockheed P-2E Neptune crash near Camp Springs MD, 1-9-1967. Accessed 4-26-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670109-0

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (130265 to 135773). Oct 7, 2011 update. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries15.html