F4U Corsair Fighter Plane Crash - 1946
Posted by: 
RexTCA
N 33° 32.240 W 117° 45.163
11S E 430112 N 3711111
Impact crater from the crash of an F4U Corsair following a mid-air collision.
Waymark Code: WM76MW
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 09/09/2009
Views: 38
On April 23, 1946 during a simulated dogfight, the planes piloted by Marine Lt. Al "Ski" Sadeski and Captain Constantine Paizis collided. The flights originated at the El Toro Marine base about 9 miles north of here.
Captain Paizis was killed and the wreckage of his plane crashed in the ocean about a half mile south of here. Lt. Sadeski's plane crashed here. Lt. Sadeski had bailed out and suffered a broken ankle.
When I first visited this site in the early 2000s, there were still pieces of the airplane here in the crater, but they have since been collected and preserved by the park rangers.
There are more details and pictures on the related web site.
The easiest way to reach the site is to park at the corner of Del Mar Avenue and Balboa Blvd, Laguna Beach (N 33 31.837, W 117 45.248) and walk north on the paved fire road about a half mile.
Web Address for Related Web Sites: [Web Link]
Date of Crash: 04/23/1946
Aircraft Model: F4U-4 Corsair
Military or Civilian: Military
Cause of Crash:
Mid-air collision during simulated dogfight.
Tail Number: Not listed
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