Date:	Tuesday 25 February 1958
Time:
Type:	McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee
Owner/operator:	Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)
Registration:	126428
MSN:	138
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	off Mayport, FL -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Mayport NAS, FL
Destination airport:	HMCS Bonaventure
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The Squadron CO of VF-871, led a group of four Banshees from Mayport NAS FL, to continue carrier qualifications on HMCS Bonaventure off the Florida coast. The Banshees were to form up echelon right. The formation was flying at 200 feet with number two joined up, but numbers three and four had not joined up when without warning, the formation entered a fog bank. The leader decided they should return to Mayport NAS and numbers three and four could join up in clearer skies. The flight turned right and number three did eventually join up, but Lt. W.T. Troy in number four, Banshee 126428, turned left, possibly in order to avoid a collision with the other three aircraft in the fog bank. There was no further sign or communication from Lt. W.T. Troy and he was declared missing. A search was initiated and a USN search party found debris approximately two miles off Jacksonville FL, including the pilot’s helmet, but neither pilot or aircraft were found. It was thought that the pilot, flying low and fast, had become disoriented and flew into the ocean. On the 29-Sep-2017, more articles from the lost Banshee were found, including Lt. Troy’s life vest and parachute harness, after being washed ashore from rough surf following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The Calgary Herald 26 February 1958, p3
Banshees in the Royal Canadian Navy, Carl Mills, p283
Royal Canadian Navy, Aircraft Finish and Markings, 1944-1968, Patrick Martin p81
Crowsnest Magazine, Apr 1958, p11
https://legionmagazine.com/en/2019/03/washed-ashore/
https://infog.ca/lost-canadian-banshee-pilot-remembered-in-ottawa/
https://www.news4jax.com/news/59-years-after-military-crash-off-mayport-debris-washes-ashore
JFBaugher

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
19-Dec-2017 18:11	TB	Added
20-Dec-2017 15:28	TB	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Location, Source, Narrative]
20-Dec-2017 15:29	TB	Updated [Source]
06-Jan-2018 09:54	TB	Updated [Registration, Cn, Source]
01-Nov-2020 07:56	Cosmo	Updated [Source, Narrative]