CRASH OF PLANE INTO SKANEATELES LAKE, 1956

A 25 year old Air National Guard pilot is presumed dead after his T-33 jet plane ripped "like an arrow" into deep waters of Skaneateles Lake about 2:45 p.m. yesterday. The plane, piloted by 2nd Lt. Gordon W. Simonds of Westvale, crashed about a half mile from Jones Beach on the east shore of the lake, about three miles south of the village of Skaneateles.

Wreckage of the plane was located about 180 feet down in the water and a score of local residents used their fishing boats to aid in dragging operations. National Guard officials said that dragging operations will resume early today. A portion of a wing tank floating on the surface, pieces of the pilot's helmet, flight plans and similar items of wreckage were recovered from the water and taken to shore.

The airman's distraught parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edson C. Simonds, with whom he lived at 201 Southview Rd., Westvale, Town of Geddes, arrived at the search scene within an hour after the accident and kept vigil in a state police patrol car. Dr. Robert T. Horne of Skaneateles administered a sedative to Mrs. Simonds. According to Lt. Col. Curtis J. Irwin, commanding officer of the 138th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of which Lt. Simonds is a member, Simonds was on a routine flight training mission when the accident occurred.

One of the many eyewitnesses to the crash, Charles Wells of Jamesville Ave., who was on the lake fishing, said he saw the two seat trainer "stunting". He said the plane rolled over a couple of times and then headed skyward. Suddenly it plummeted nose down to "strike the water like an arrow," he related.

Another eyewitness, Dr. A.C. Rauscher, a Skaneateles dentist, was in his outboard motorboat just a quarter of a mile from where the plane crashed into the water. Like Wells, he saw the plane first pull upward and then plunge into the lake. Dr. Rauscher said he picked up parts of the pilot's helmet from the water. Col. Irwin drove to the scene from Hancock Field in a mobile control truck fitted with extensive radio equipment which permitted him to maintain ground to air communications with an Sa-16 plane from the 49th Air Rescue Squadron from Westover (Mass) Air Force Base. The plane arrived from Westover about 5 p.m. and circled the area just in case the pilot had bailed out somewhere in the vicinity, Col. Irwin said.

Cayuga County Dist. Atty. Theodore M. Coburn also was fishing on the lake when the plane crashed and sped to the scene, dropping an anchor which went down 150 feet in an attempt to mark the spot. Frank Dann of 174 W. Brighton Ave., who was fishing, said he saw a plane flying low over the west side of the lake headed toward its center. he too said the plane first went into a roll, started to climb and then plunged sharply downward.

Others who saw the accident were members of the Ground Observer Corps. They telephoned the 32nd Air Division at Hancock Field and it dispatched Capt. Gerald Hamilton, officer of the day, and Sgt. G. L. Kimball to the scene where they performed Air Police duty. They were the first military representatives on the scene, arriving within half an hour. Capt. H.T. Muller, commanding officer of Troop D, State Police, Oneida, and Lt. H. A. Scoville, Zone 2 commander, North Syracuse, directed state police operations at the scene. Simonds, who is not married, received the wings of a jet pilot on Nov. 1, 1955, at Williams (Ariz) Air Force Base. His assignment to the 138th Fighter Squadron followed. A former member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, from Feb. 16 to May 27, 1954, he applied for flight training from the PANG and was accepted immediately for aviation cadet training.

A graduate of Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, Simonds received his degree in mechanical engineering in 1953. He had previously attended Solvay High School. Simonds was considered by his instructors as an above average student during pilot training. The officer in charge of his advanced pilot training at Luke Air Force Base said: "Without a doubt, he is one of the best students to graduate from this program. Considering his experience level he was an excellent student. His attitude is above reproach." He completed his advanced training at Luke on March 12. He returned to Syracuse about a month ago.

James Althoof, a professional diver who also is an Air National Guardsman, will descend 185 feet into Skaneateles Lake today in an attempt to recover the body of Lt. Gordon W. Simonds. Simonds, 25, of 201 Southview Rd., Westvale, was piloting a jet plane when it roared out of control into the lake at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Col. Curtis J. Irwin, commander of the 138th fighter interceptor Squadron, Hancock Field, said yesterday he believed plane wreckage had been struck by grappling irons. Steve Dulasky, president of the Aqua Kings of Syracuse, a skin diving organization, dived unsuccessfully yesterday because of the depth of the lake operations were halted in mid afternoon because of rough waters.

The Schouley Construction Co of Auburn is supplying the diving platform and aa compressor to maintain air for the deep sea diver. Col. Irwin said it would take Althoof about 15 minutes to reach the wreck, that he would probably be on the bottom of the lake for an hour, and that it would take an hour for him to come up again. "Our main intent right now is to recover the body of the pilot," Co. Irwin said.

Powerful underwater lights which will be used today are being supplied by Crouse-Hinds Co. Simonds took off Saturday from Hancock Field, headquarters of the 138th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, of which he was a member, on a routine training mission. One of several eyewitnesses to the crash said he saw the T-33 stunting. He said that after rolling over a couple of times it started climbing, then suddenly plummeted nose down into the water "like an arrow."

Lt. Simonds' parents Mr. and Mrs. Edson Simonds, went to the rescue operations site on the lake shore after hearing of the accident Saturday. They were not present yesterday, but about 250 curious men and women kept watch from Jones Beach on the east shore as the searchers went about their work. Col. Irwin said no attempt will be made to raise the aircraft unless the military board investigating the crash requests that it be done.

The official crash report.

At 1:00 on 28 April, Lt Gordon W Simonds reported to the 138th Ftr Intop Sq Operations for flying. Lt Simonds had originally been scheduled for a check out in an F 94 aircraft in the afternoon. Due to the lack of F-94s at the tine, and unfavorable weather for a cheek out ride, it was decided to check him out on another day. Lt Simonds asked if it was possible, to fly a T-33. He was told he could have an aircraft about 1400. He waited for the aircraft and was assigned T-33A, S/N 52-9409 Thi's aircraft was assigned to the 138th FIS.

Lt Simonds was briefed by Capt McElroy, a flight leader and Assistant Operations Officer. The pilot was not given a specific mission to accomplish, because of weather conditions. All day the ceilings had varied radically from 3000 feet. The were large holes in the ceiling visible from Operations. Flying had been conducted all morning with no pilot reporting any difficulty because of weather. Capt McElroy had been to 20,003 about two hours prior to the briefing. There was never any concern about the weather closing in on, the field. Lt Simonds was briefed as all other pilots, that there were large holes north and north west of the field. He was briefed to do a general proficiency mission if be could Get sufficient altitude, He was also briefed to shoot a couple flare out landings upon returning to the field. If he could not accomplish this, he was informed to stay under the clouds, burn his fuel out and return to the field.

Lt Simonds filled out a DD Form 113 giving a ETD of 1400, and ETA of 1530 and 2 41 20 of fuel. His actual fuel load was 753 Gallons of JP-4.
The clearance authority was signed by Captain McElroy as well as a locally prepared briefing form. Lt Simonds signed the clearance and a "Jet Pilots Check list" stamped 'in the remarks section. HE also signed a certificate on the back of the Form 113"

Lt Simonds took off from Hancock Field at approximately 1415 using runway 28. He was using a call sign of "Belly Beer '45". The exact route he
took is unkown. Approximately fif teen minutes after take off he was flying in the vicinity of Skaneateles Lake. He circled around the northern end of the lake at least once, possibly twice- his altitude at about 1000 feet and his airspeed slower then normal for a jet aircraft. He proceeded up the lake on a northerly heading and possibly did a barrel roll or two at 1000 feet. He then pulled up into a vertical or near vertical climb and attempted some maneuver. He either rolled or tried to loop or immelman.

As he reached the apex of his climb, he apparently stalled. The aircraft must have been close to vertical at this time- He fell thru on his back and rolled off on one wing and herded straight down into the water. At the apex of his climb, he was probably 2000 - 2500 feet above the lake. The aircraft went into the water almost straight down. The nose was starting up When he hit the water. The aircraft was completely demolished upon striking the water.