F4U Corsair Fighter Plane Crash - 1946
Posted by: 
RexTCA
N 33° 32.240 W 117° 45.163
11S E 430112 N 3711111
Quick Description: Impact crater from the crash of an F4U Corsair following a mid-air collision.
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 9/9/2009 8:37:00 PM
Waymark Code: WM76MW
Views: 9
Long Description: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.