Floyd Bennett Field - Floyd Bennett Field

On August 22, 1957 at 12:00 AM, Floyd Bennett Field - Floyd Bennett Field experienced a crash involving Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross, operated by United States Coast Guard - USCG, with the event recorded near Floyd Bennett Field New York.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 66.7%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was performing a test flight after the aircraft had undergone an intermediate inspection in which the control columns were removed and inspected for fatigue cracks in the bottom casting. The plane was cleared for take-off and instructed to turn right immediately after take-off to avoid other traffic. Take-off was normal but immediately after leaving the runway the plane banked slightly to the left, hesitated, and then banked and then banked very rapidly to the left until it was in a 90° bank. The left wing tip struck the ground and the plane broke in two and crashed. Four crew members were killed while two others were injured. Those killed were: Lcdr Claude S. Labaw, Lt Rolland A. Faucher, AD3 Matthew R. Ross, AT3 Gerald R. Fox.

Aircraft reference details include registration 1259, MSN G-106, year of manufacture 1952.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.5945°, -73.8880°.