Duck Duck Gray Duck

The StarTribune ran a story today about a plane crash that took place in South Minneapolis on March 7, 1950. A Northwest Orient Airlines twin-propeller plane nose-dived into a home killing two children in the home, three plane crew members and all 10 passengers. Here is that story with historic photos and a video interview with someone who remembers it.

This wasn’t the only plane crash in South Minneapolis in the 1950s though.
My mother told me a story about a plane crash that happened in South Minneapolis when she was a child. It happened on June 9 1956 when a F9F4 Navy jet crashed into a row of homes north of the airport in front of 5804 and 5808 46th Avenue South. The devastating explosion scattered the plane and its fuel over the neighborhood setting houses on fire and burning people.

Source: StarTribune Minneapolis Star photo: Jet plane struck the ground (1), bounced and struck again (2), then crashed into house (3).

Some 20 or more children were at play in that block when the plane crashed. My mother was one of them and remembers hearing the explosion from blocks away while she played. She was 12. She did not witness any of the carnage because she was whisked away. She just remembers the smoke, the sirens and the sadness.

Residents of the south Minneapolis neighborhood gathered to watch firefighters work the crash scene. (Minneapolis Star photo)

The news reported that the crash killed 6 people and injured 9 others. The pilot of the plane, Major George Armstrong, 33, 5808 Pearson drive, Edina, was killed. The second body identified was that of Debora De Wolfe, 7, 5816 Forty-sixth avenue S.

A child’s body was found on a couch in her home. Alongside the couch was the landing gear of the plane.Read more here.

Firefighters rushed to extinguish a fire in one of the houses hit by debris. (Minneapolis Star photo)

Crash site map showing area today