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Date: | Wednesday 7 December 1955 |
Time: | c. |
Type: | Martin XP6M-1 SeaMaster |
Owner/operator: | Naval Test Center US Navy |
Registration: | 138821 |
MSN: | XP-1 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | Potomac River, near the junction of St. Mary's River, Maryland, -
United States of America
|
Phase: | En route |
Nature: | Test |
Departure airport: | Martin State Airport (KMTN), Middle River, Baltimore County, MD |
Destination airport: | Martin State Airport (KMTN), Middle River, Baltimore County, MD |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:The first prototype XP6M-1 SeaMaster was on a routine test flight out of the Glenn L Martin Company Airfield when, on a high speed run over the mouth of the Potomac River, it suffered a catastrophic flight control failure that pitched the aircraft into a -9g. bunt high speed dive that tore the four engines from the airframe causing the wings to fold and clap together under the hull causing the aircraft to disintegrate at 5,000 ft. and plummet into the Potomac river killing, US Navy Flight Observer, Lt. Cmdr. Victor Utgoff and three Martin Company employees, Test Pilot, Maurice B. Bernhard, Senior Flight Engineer, Herbert D. Scudder and Flight Test Engineer, James Hentschel.
Sources:
https://www.joebaugher.com, Newspapers.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_P6M_SeaMaster Bill Gunston - Aeroplane Monthly - November 1974
The Evening Sun, MD - 8th December 1955
Baltimore Sun, MD - 8th December 1955
The News, Frederick, MD - 8th December 1955
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
07-Aug-2015 11:36 |
TB |
Added |
22-May-2020 06:05 |
Peter Clarke |
Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
16-Oct-2020 10:32 |
DB |
Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |