Incident Overview
A U.S. Navy training flight, engaged in an aerial attack exercise against a submarine off the coast of Long Island, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean approximately 30 miles east of the Montauk Point lighthouse. The accident occurred about one hour after departure from Quonset Point Naval Air Station. All seven crew members aboard the aircraft were killed.
Crew
The crew members identified in the accident were:
- Lt Jerome J. Rossillion
- Lt Herschell B. Thorpe
- Charles G. Chapman
- Charles L. Cook
- Ralph R. Maxfield
- Frank M. Roeder Jr.
- Kenneth G. Peterson
Flight Profile
The aircraft departed Quonset Point NAS for a training mission that involved simulating an attack on a submerged submarine. Approximately one hour into the flight, the pilot encountered problems and subsequently lost control of the aircraft, which then crashed into the sea.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the accident, as determined by the investigation, was a loss of control resulting from an engine explosion in flight. No other contributing factors were identified in the official findings.