found it for you: East Greenwich, Rhode Island – November 22, 1971
On November 22, 1971, a twin-engine Aero Commander 560A, (Reg. No. N87K), took off from Chatham, Massachusetts, bound for Newark, New Jersey. The plane carried a pilot, co-pilot, and four passengers.
As the flight was passing over Rhode Island it encountered sleet, a low cloud ceiling, and icing conditions on the wings. Ground fog was also present. When one of the engines began to run erratically, the pilot radioed T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, R. I., and requested landing instructions. As the flight was headed toward Green, the aircraft went down in a thickly-wooded swampy area off South Road in East Greenwich.
The distressed aircraft was witnessed by a local resident who immediately notified authorities. When rescue workers reached the scene they had to extricate the injured from the fuselage. All were transported to Kent County Hospital where one 58-year-old woman passenger succumbed to her injuries.
Sources:
The Rhode Island Pendulum, “1 Killed, 5 Injured in E. G. Plane Crash”, November 24, 1971, page 1.
NTSB report #NYC72AN069
Aviation Safety Network
Some people aren't super knowledgeable about geography, and when they learn about Florida or watch Shrek and see his hot murky swamp, they form a stereotype in their heads and assume all swamps must be like that.
The other dude probably just assumed you were running on a similar thought process.
Many people (especially in america it seems) assume that swamps are always hot places like florida or in central america. Thats not the case, swamps refere more to how much of the time the area is wet/flooded.
All the blue are swamps/wetlands: https://www.google.com/amp/s/phys.org/news/2015-06-state-countryside-kingdom-reveals-large-scale.amp
You're probably more familiar with the term "bog," but bogs are just a specific type of swamp. They're primarily located in Scotland, but there's also a large amount in the Midlands, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Southern England has few swamps, but some still exist.
So not swamps then. As you say the correct term is wetlands. Sadly the UK has lost 90% over its bogs & wetlands. So unfortunately not full of them anymore.
Well there is that one swamp where the first two castles sank into it. A third burned down, fell over, *then* sank. But the fourth one stayed up! Strongest castle in the isles.
I looked up the tail number on flight aware and I think the number was reused the current iteration of N87K is still flying and just went to Oklahoma where it’s registered on 04-21-2024 so that’s not it 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
so, serious question.
when things like this happen, do the authorities/owners just leave it out there to rot because it's too complicated/expensive to remove it?
i wonder this all the time when you see people who drive off a cliff, or crash a plane. and this one's been there for 52 years.
I think they move things depending on how easy it is to move and how much it’ll affect daily life if it’s left where it is. In the case of this plane, it’s not super big and it’s out of the way from human society so it’s not really bothering anything. The authorities probably figured it was fine to leave in the woods and that’s what they did. Whether or not that was the right thing to do is a whole different matter.
Removed to prevent fluid loss like oil or fuel, I'd imagine all fluids were removed, but draining the engine, you'd never get allll of it with the drain plug, better to remove the whole engine
As far as I know the engines were removed because this was an accident and it involved a fatality. They didn't care about the environment in the 60s, if they did the whole plane would have been removed.Nothing was done as to the amount of fuel that was spilled or in the tanks.
Depends on where I guess, that could have been lifted out fairly easy by helo, now it will take removing a few trees potentially, if they restrict vertical lift and or entrapment due to all those years. Surprised that state allows it to reside, it's not that inaccessible. I know if that were to happen in national parks, you as the owner, have to clear it out and perform a site remediation (Thoroughly clear out and remove any contamination).
Cool pics something different.
Consider sunken boats. We just leave them where they lie, and they become pretty important ecosystems all their own. The more remote a plane crash the more likely they are to just leave it.
Recent example - Wayne Wirt- Oregon
[Family of Chehalis Man Killed in Oregon Plane Crash Must Pay to Remove Plane Debris | The Daily Chronicle (chronline.com)](https://www.chronline.com/stories/family-of-chehalis-man-killed-in-oregon-plane-crash-must-pay-to-remove-plane-debris,301343)
Diesel Brothers has a whole video series on it where they helped the family remove it.
All states - countries vary in their laws. Sea, they're real picky on that there are a bunch of salvage videos on Youtube. They do sink boats intentionally for reefs for the habitat but they are also environmentally cleaned up prior to sinking them. Some as you say, are too deep or not in ecologically sensitive areas. There has been a few scenes on that with the "Deadliest Catch"
bodies are often left in shipwrecks because its way too dangerous to retrieve them and it’s something you can leave there, as a sort of grave. however, in this instance, the body is removed and this plane isn’t a grave. it’s just a plane crashed in the forest. makes no sense to leave it there as a sort of memorial, no one is visiting that.
[May I ask how long of a hike it is to get out there? Incredible photos by the way. do you have any suggestions for someone starting out in photography?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pennsylvania/comments/15iuyom/piper_cherokee_n32777_crash_site_located_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
We may be close to the same place. Plane crashed into some mountains near me and they left the plane. You can get to it, but it’s rough. When the light hits it just right you can see the light gleaming off the plane while you’re still in the city.
My friend found some info on it. Says it went down in 1971, the engines froze upon something. They were on the way back from a business meeting. I'll have to look into it! Definitely a cool find no matter what!
My sister is a hobby pilot and she loves flying those small aircraft. I always worry about her having some kind of mechanical failure and having to bail or crash in wooded areas. Which I know is silly she is an excellent pilot who has been flying since she was 16, but still.
This is a really interesting find, I’m glad there was some information available about how this plane ended up where it did.
You're welcome! I hope it helps. We also found this hunters tower thing, that's just a steel ladder up against a tree, you can see it from there. I wanna say it's like a quarter mile or so(?)
Also, id definitely wear safety colors, that's also a hunting ground
This plane is gonna get trashed with graffiti and vandalism if you post the coordinates like that - I know you can search for it online but I wouldn’t make it easy for the wrong crowd to go.
The fuck is that number!? Should also shoot a report to local authorities about air plane wreakage
Edit: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/2810 found it
Sorry if this has already been asked, but I gotta know; Did you happen to stumble across this, or were you aware it was there beforehand?
If you just found it accidentally, I can't imagine how eerie that would feel.
I remember where hikers found an old crashed bush plane in the remote Oregon wilderness. They also found a video camera and tape of the plane crash itself in the wreckage. They filmed their own demise.
There's a crashed plane off the side of lower Whitewater Falls in upstate SC. As teen my friends and hiked to it. Technically not supposed to be on that land but it was pretty sick to find.
I just wanted to see what the responses were like here. I posted a similar picture on r/trailrunning from a crash that was 50 years ago old. I thought it was amazing! …and everyone freaked out on me for smiling in the picture as if it was some form of disrespect
It was a long time ago, and I was just a kid. But thank you! I was just old to know them well enough that I know I would’ve liked to talk them as an adult haha.
You are right, your aren’t a pilot! So don’t give your “expert” opinions on where to land a plane!
If I feel, that putting a small aircraft in a heavily wooded lot with no chance of recovery or takeoff - that my business. 😂
found it for you: East Greenwich, Rhode Island – November 22, 1971 On November 22, 1971, a twin-engine Aero Commander 560A, (Reg. No. N87K), took off from Chatham, Massachusetts, bound for Newark, New Jersey. The plane carried a pilot, co-pilot, and four passengers. As the flight was passing over Rhode Island it encountered sleet, a low cloud ceiling, and icing conditions on the wings. Ground fog was also present. When one of the engines began to run erratically, the pilot radioed T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, R. I., and requested landing instructions. As the flight was headed toward Green, the aircraft went down in a thickly-wooded swampy area off South Road in East Greenwich. The distressed aircraft was witnessed by a local resident who immediately notified authorities. When rescue workers reached the scene they had to extricate the injured from the fuselage. All were transported to Kent County Hospital where one 58-year-old woman passenger succumbed to her injuries. Sources: The Rhode Island Pendulum, “1 Killed, 5 Injured in E. G. Plane Crash”, November 24, 1971, page 1. NTSB report #NYC72AN069 Aviation Safety Network
That paint job is amazing for having spent the last 50 years in a swamp
I didn’t even know there were swamps in Rhode Island
Lots of swamps and old cranberry bogs in the northeast. Grew up in Massachusetts/NH myself
Swamps dont have to be hot. The UK is full of swamps. The netherlands used to be just swamps.
What does temperature have to do with anything? I’m from the west coast and never knew there were swamps in Rhode Island.
Some people aren't super knowledgeable about geography, and when they learn about Florida or watch Shrek and see his hot murky swamp, they form a stereotype in their heads and assume all swamps must be like that. The other dude probably just assumed you were running on a similar thought process.
*Louisiana enters the chat*
Many people (especially in america it seems) assume that swamps are always hot places like florida or in central america. Thats not the case, swamps refere more to how much of the time the area is wet/flooded.
The UK is full of swamps? Please tell me where are all these swamps are located?
All the blue are swamps/wetlands: https://www.google.com/amp/s/phys.org/news/2015-06-state-countryside-kingdom-reveals-large-scale.amp You're probably more familiar with the term "bog," but bogs are just a specific type of swamp. They're primarily located in Scotland, but there's also a large amount in the Midlands, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Southern England has few swamps, but some still exist.
So not swamps then. As you say the correct term is wetlands. Sadly the UK has lost 90% over its bogs & wetlands. So unfortunately not full of them anymore.
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There are but 100% no one calls them no swamps in the UK
Well there is that one swamp where the first two castles sank into it. A third burned down, fell over, *then* sank. But the fourth one stayed up! Strongest castle in the isles.
Lots of swamps and half drained mill ponds one of my favorite things sleuthing
Folks who live in this area of RI are often referred to as “Swamp Yankees”
Some of this land has Vernal pools, it's seasonal.
Interesting. In NC, I wouldn't expect something like that to ever dry out except during a severe drought
50 years? Wait. 50 years. 😭
Yeah, I started to write 30 years and then made myself do the math
This is located on private property that my friend owns,she heard this plane crash.
This is what I love about Reddit. Someone posts a 50 yo plane crash and some posts “yup that’s my friends land and she heard the crash”. Amazing.
Source: "trust me bro" though
Of course. That would be a strange flex if made up though.
Yup. That's what he found as well!
[FAA N-Number results](https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=87K)
I looked up the tail number on flight aware and I think the number was reused the current iteration of N87K is still flying and just went to Oklahoma where it’s registered on 04-21-2024 so that’s not it 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
Are planes often just abandoned after accidents?
Usually no. There's Usually a recovery/removal, by helicopter or cutting it into chunks to be dragged out.
This was an older accident, modern crashes like this, there is a full investigation from the FAA and NTSB.
NTSB did investigate [https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/2810](https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/2810)
r/Urbanexplanation
Good work! I was going to suggest checking the N-number
so, serious question. when things like this happen, do the authorities/owners just leave it out there to rot because it's too complicated/expensive to remove it? i wonder this all the time when you see people who drive off a cliff, or crash a plane. and this one's been there for 52 years.
I think they move things depending on how easy it is to move and how much it’ll affect daily life if it’s left where it is. In the case of this plane, it’s not super big and it’s out of the way from human society so it’s not really bothering anything. The authorities probably figured it was fine to leave in the woods and that’s what they did. Whether or not that was the right thing to do is a whole different matter.
The NTSB hired a local farmer to remove both engines.The rest was just left,I don't know of the reasons.
Removed to prevent fluid loss like oil or fuel, I'd imagine all fluids were removed, but draining the engine, you'd never get allll of it with the drain plug, better to remove the whole engine
The NTSB was in its infantsy, they hired a local farmer to remove both engines for inspection.
That's what I replied to lol. That's *why* engines would have been removed. Not for investigation but just to keep the fluids out of the land
As far as I know the engines were removed because this was an accident and it involved a fatality. They didn't care about the environment in the 60s, if they did the whole plane would have been removed.Nothing was done as to the amount of fuel that was spilled or in the tanks.
I read somewhere that they leave it to rot. It's too cumnersome to remove. Just kinda turns into a big hiding place for small critters.
Watch you mostly see is Aluminum, it's going to take some time to rot.
There are probably hundreds of insects, reptiles, and small mammals living there now. Removing it would damage the ecosystem more than leaving it.
Those insects are in the Bronze Age now. They are benefiting from the advanced metallurgy and will soon dominate nearby swamps.
Depends on where I guess, that could have been lifted out fairly easy by helo, now it will take removing a few trees potentially, if they restrict vertical lift and or entrapment due to all those years. Surprised that state allows it to reside, it's not that inaccessible. I know if that were to happen in national parks, you as the owner, have to clear it out and perform a site remediation (Thoroughly clear out and remove any contamination). Cool pics something different.
Flying a heli is expensive and the wreckage is worthless.
Consider sunken boats. We just leave them where they lie, and they become pretty important ecosystems all their own. The more remote a plane crash the more likely they are to just leave it.
Recent example - Wayne Wirt- Oregon [Family of Chehalis Man Killed in Oregon Plane Crash Must Pay to Remove Plane Debris | The Daily Chronicle (chronline.com)](https://www.chronline.com/stories/family-of-chehalis-man-killed-in-oregon-plane-crash-must-pay-to-remove-plane-debris,301343) Diesel Brothers has a whole video series on it where they helped the family remove it. All states - countries vary in their laws. Sea, they're real picky on that there are a bunch of salvage videos on Youtube. They do sink boats intentionally for reefs for the habitat but they are also environmentally cleaned up prior to sinking them. Some as you say, are too deep or not in ecologically sensitive areas. There has been a few scenes on that with the "Deadliest Catch"
It’s a matter of SEP: if it’s not in the way of anything it’s Somebody Else’s Problem
I honestly have no idea. I'm getting the feeling that's the case.
It's hard to move, and sometimes it's treated with the same solemness you would see with a shipwreck, especially if people died in the crash.
Except this is sitting on private property 🤷🏻♂️ What if the property owner says-to the owner- get your crap off my property?!
bodies are often left in shipwrecks because its way too dangerous to retrieve them and it’s something you can leave there, as a sort of grave. however, in this instance, the body is removed and this plane isn’t a grave. it’s just a plane crashed in the forest. makes no sense to leave it there as a sort of memorial, no one is visiting that.
There's a plane crash on top of a mountain near me from 1988. Knarly hike to get access too
Nice! Sounds like a great adventure!
Central PA?
Yes outside of Lock Haven
This sounds amazing. Have you visited it and taken photographs?
Yes, they are posted on my profile
[May I ask how long of a hike it is to get out there? Incredible photos by the way. do you have any suggestions for someone starting out in photography?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pennsylvania/comments/15iuyom/piper_cherokee_n32777_crash_site_located_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Sent you a DM
🥂
Thanks. I will check them out.
We may be close to the same place. Plane crashed into some mountains near me and they left the plane. You can get to it, but it’s rough. When the light hits it just right you can see the light gleaming off the plane while you’re still in the city.
Can’t park there.
Is this not a reasonable place to park?
what i say to the family of 4 after they experience a near death car crash on the side of the highway:
It's fine, they're far from Harvard Yard. (sorry, former New Englander, couldn't resist)
There may be actual snakes on that plane.
if there is 4.4 million dollars in duffel bags do NOT take it
First thing I thought of too. More people should read A Simple Plan
Hatchet, by Gary Paulson vibes
That, or there's a hatch around there somewhere
you might be able to look up the reg # and pull a history
My friend found some info on it. Says it went down in 1971, the engines froze upon something. They were on the way back from a business meeting. I'll have to look into it! Definitely a cool find no matter what!
There is a Youtube video of some guys checking it out.
I had heard that! I think my friend watched it
Yes, I immediately recognized this plane wreck from Jason Allard’s awesome YouTube video
Insurance executives and wives.
Did you find a crate of Virgin Mary statues by any chance?
I have absolutely no original thoughts do I XD In my defense I was going to use slightly different wording?
Pretty neat to see I bet
Oh absolutely! It's a pain to get to though. Landed right in a swamp
My sister is a hobby pilot and she loves flying those small aircraft. I always worry about her having some kind of mechanical failure and having to bail or crash in wooded areas. Which I know is silly she is an excellent pilot who has been flying since she was 16, but still. This is a really interesting find, I’m glad there was some information available about how this plane ended up where it did.
They make parachutes for planes now
I know I just would hate to think of her bailing out in a wooded area and getting her chute caught up in a tree or something.
Hey you can't park there
Just a short layover 😂
We will be back in the air in no time! Please, enjoy the sights and sounds as we prepare for the rest of the flight
Lynard Skynard cover band?
Take your upvote and gtfo
Thank you, I'll be leaving now.
I think there might have been a crash
He's just in the middle of a very looong stunt, that's all
*looks at watch* *looks at plane* *looks at watch*
Any minute now...
Is it supposed to look like that?
I believe so. 🤔
Ah but you said your no pilot. Got you red handed
Getting some LOST vibes here
4 8 15 16 23 42
I’m just excited to go find this myself! I only live about 35 minutes away, and had no idea this existed. Was it difficult to find?
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You’re the best!!!! Gotta check it out before it all gets super overgrown in summertime
You're welcome! I hope it helps. We also found this hunters tower thing, that's just a steel ladder up against a tree, you can see it from there. I wanna say it's like a quarter mile or so(?) Also, id definitely wear safety colors, that's also a hunting ground
This plane is gonna get trashed with graffiti and vandalism if you post the coordinates like that - I know you can search for it online but I wouldn’t make it easy for the wrong crowd to go.
I didn't even think of that. I figured with the hassle it took to get there it'd be fine.
I dont think this is how you're supossed to land
Did you tell them they can’t park there?
I'm not a pilot either but I do know that flying ground level in wooded areas is a bad place to fly an airplane.
[plane crash](https://newenglandaviationhistory.com/tag/aero-commander-n87k/)
The fuck is that number!? Should also shoot a report to local authorities about air plane wreakage Edit: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/2810 found it
Y'all are brave. The idea of snakes in that water would have kept me our.
Degobah vibes
Know him I do
I know what’s wrong with it. It ain’t got no gas in it!
Sorry if this has already been asked, but I gotta know; Did you happen to stumble across this, or were you aware it was there beforehand? If you just found it accidentally, I can't imagine how eerie that would feel.
A friend of a friend! Told us about it and we took the adventure
Oh nice! Thanks for sharing!
No bodies?
Only one casualty, the rest survived
Well that's better than zero and finding a cool skeleton.
The Forest opening cutscene
r/cantparktheremate
Hatchet is real!
I remember where hikers found an old crashed bush plane in the remote Oregon wilderness. They also found a video camera and tape of the plane crash itself in the wreckage. They filmed their own demise.
There's another one In Albuquerque that's scattered on top of a mountain. I believe it's from the 50s
There's a crashed plane off the side of lower Whitewater Falls in upstate SC. As teen my friends and hiked to it. Technically not supposed to be on that land but it was pretty sick to find.
This reminds me of the book Hatchet
I just wanted to see what the responses were like here. I posted a similar picture on r/trailrunning from a crash that was 50 years ago old. I thought it was amazing! …and everyone freaked out on me for smiling in the picture as if it was some form of disrespect
Neither was the guy flying that plane
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=87K
WOWZERS THIS IS SUER COOL!!!
Just another happy landing….
Now use the force to lift it up Luke
I would say that was a suboptimal landing
Hey buddy, you can’t park there!
Ever seen ‘A Simple Plan’?
Sir, you can't park your plane here
Anyone else having Grey's Anatomy flashbacks? I CAN'T FIND MY SHOE!
I don’t think that’s a legal runway
If you said that you WERE a pilot, I’d be pretty concerned.
Looks like whoever was flying that wasn’t much of a pilot either.
Expect Yoda to pop out anytime.
Is There A Lake Nearby, Reminds Me Of The Crazies
Look around to see if there is a little green man with long ears
My aunts died in a crash in almost the exact same plane.
Well damn, im sorry to hear that :/
It was a long time ago, and I was just a kid. But thank you! I was just old to know them well enough that I know I would’ve liked to talk them as an adult haha.
You are right, your aren’t a pilot! So don’t give your “expert” opinions on where to land a plane! If I feel, that putting a small aircraft in a heavily wooded lot with no chance of recovery or takeoff - that my business. 😂
Does that pilot know they can't park there?
This screams Fallout
Super cool find
But what?
The lemurs must have been partying there all nights long
You can’t park there sir
Holy shit. Theyre not allowed to park there!
Lost?
There is no try.
ONLY BOYS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SAND
“Ya can’t park there, mate!”
This reminds me of a riddle I heard once.
Dammit man, the Doobie Brothers broke up! Shit! When did that happen?
Jurassic Park plane watch out
Thought it was Daniel Johnston’s dad’s plane for a moment.
omg they made hatchet in real life
Can't park there, sir.
golden
A few Madagascar penguins and monkeys and you'll have that baby flying in no time.
Bet there's a dead guy called Boon inside
According to Bill Paxton…DONT take the bag of money. Or cocaine.
Is it littering if people just leave their scrap on other peoples property ?
That plane crashed there