Plane crash on east side around 1959
I lived on the 300 block of Ashland Ave. from 1950 to 1962. Around 1959 I witnessed a plane crash that wiped out most of the next block on Ashland. I think it was a military plane, but I cannot find any record of it. I have researched archived and internet plane crashes of every sort, but I cannot find any mention of it. Does anyone have info or remember this?
I lived at 316 Ashland and went to Guyton. I was Angie Smallwood back then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
EastsideQT
OMG...Yes I remember it well...my family lived on Conner almost at the River. it crashed on Ashland almost at the end of the block...I think parts of Alter Rd. got messed up too...I was about 10 when it happed so it was either 1958 or 1959.
I lived at 316 Ashland. I was Angie Smallwood back then and went to Guyton. Did you know me? My best friend was Christine Smith. She lived on Manistique.
No one died on the ground.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SteadySky
From a quick little online search I came across the following concerning the characteristics of the Vulcan control systems:
"The Vulcan used entirely powered control surfaces; this combined with the relatively small space for the flight crew meant that a
fighter-like stick could be used instead of a control wheel, with the added benefit that ejection could be quicker in an emergency. Power was 110
volts DC electrical supplied from generators on each engine. Backup was from a set of batteries in series to supply the voltage if generators failed. These had little capacity in event of a power loss, so the system was revised for the Mark 2 to use a
Ram Air Turbine [[RAT) that would operate at higher altitude and an Airborne
Auxiliary Power Unit [[AAPU) which could be started once the aircraft had reached a lower altitude of 30,000 ft [[9,100 m) or less."
Sounds like to me this was a Mark I class Vulcan and when the power system went down at high altitude, the secondary system was unable to function. Looks like the later variants of the Vulcan were better equipped.
Did anybody die on the ground?
No one died on the ground. My father, Bert Smallwood, was the first one to get to the site. He pulled two people out of their homes before the fire department got there. One lady and her dog were injured, but that was it. It was a virtual miracle that no one was killed.