6 Group Unavailable
An Argus maritime aircraft from 404 squadron, RCAF Station, Greenwood, Nova Scotia, crashed and was lost at sea about 60 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico, shortly before midnight March 23 [1965]. There were no survivors among the 16 persons on board.
The crash report was given by the Halifax-based British submarine Alcide, which was operating with the Argus as part of the Canadian Atlantic fleet on Caribbean exercises Maple Spring and Maple Springboard.
The Argus, first to be lost since it replaced Lancasters in the RCAF anti-submarine role in 1958, was operating from the U.S. Naval Air Station, Roosevelt Roads near San Juan, in the combined Canadian -USA anti-submarine warfare exercise Maple Springboard. In addition to the 15 crew members Dr. CL Piggott, scientific advisor to the Air Officer Commanding, Maritime Air Command, was on board. Formerly with the Naval Research Establishment, Dartmouth, he was appointed to the advisory post In December.
The Argus was on task for four hours at the time of the crash, working with the Alcide. The submariners ,saw the glow of the crash reflected in the sky just before midnight. The Alcide surfaced and proceeded to investigate, The destroyer escorts Gatineau and. Terra Nova. were called to the scene and later were joined by the Annapolis . Aircraft from the aircraft carrier Bonnaventure joined the search and a total of six ships, two submarines, and the US Coast Guard became involved. 'The search for survivors was called off on the 24th.
At sunset oil March 25, in position 60 miles north of Puerto Rico, a memorial service was held on board the Bonnaventure, with the Gatineau in company, for the crew of the lost Argus aircraft. On completion of prayers, Commodore J. C. O'Brien, Senior Canadian Officer Afloat (Atlantic), dropped a wreath on the waters in the area of the crash. A one-minute silence was observed by the ship companies; marked by the firing of the Bonnaventure's gun.
Defence Minister Paul Hellyer, speaking to the House of Commons on March 24 confirmed that an RCAF Argus had crashed at sea the night before with total loss of life. At the same time he paid tribute to the "outstanding work of the officers and men of the Maritime Air Command these words:
"Highly skilled and dedicated to their work, they have maintained in all types of weather over the years constant anti-submarine Patrols at very low altitudes over the waters of our shores both in the Atlantic and Pacific.
"Due to the calibre of the men and the level of their training Maritime Air Command has achieved a record of flight safety that is second to none. Indicative of this is the fact that the Argus aircraft which came into service in 1958 had not been involved prior to last night in any major accident or loss of life while flying a total of more than 132,000 hours.
"While our sympathy goes out to relatives and friends," Mr. Hellyer concluded, ?the loss of such men is not only theirs but of Canada as a nation."
An investigation into the circumstances was immediately launched. The Argus was one of about 18 in six detachments which had operated from the US. Naval Air Station, Roosevelt Roads, on Puerto Rico. Ten RCN ships and two Canadian - controlled British submarines were also involved In the Caribbean exercises which began in mid-January and continued to the end of March.
The exercises were code-named Maple Spring for the Canadian aspects, which involved some 4,000 personnel, and Maple Springboard, a joint Canadian-US. anti-submarine exercise taking place in the same period.
Aviation Safety Network