USAF T-33A 55-4402

[Thomas Reilly]

This USAF T-33A training jet (tail number 55-4402) was just an hour
out of Stewart Airfield on November 1st, 1962 when Lt.Colonel Carl
Colson and Captain Russell Johansen crashed fatally while practicing
SFO's (which are simulated flame-outs) and acrobatics while testing
and training with this aircraft. This single engine jet (which is
the training version of the P-80, one of the first mass produced
military jet aircraft) was manufactured by Lockheed Martin in 1955.

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has any information on T-33A 55-4402 which crashed in November of 1962 on Van Wyck Mountain, NY or its two USAF pilots Lt. Colonel Carl Colson and Captain Russell Johansen who were killed in the accident. Any information about the unit that 55-4402 was attached to or pictures of the aircraft while in service would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Chris Brame]

Millionmonkeytheater.com's T-33 page has this info:

T-33A-5-LO s/n 55-4402
*1958: USAF 74th FIS.
*USAF 4713th DSES.
*11/1/1962: Crashed on Van Wyck Mountain in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Both crewmen were killed.

Kind of unusual to see both the buzz number and "U.S. AIR FORCE" on the nose like that.

[Thomas Reilly]

Millionmonkeytheater.com's T-33 page has this info:

T-33A-5-LO s/n 55-4402
*1958: USAF 74th FIS.
*USAF 4713th DSES.
*11/1/1962: Crashed on Van Wyck Mountain in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Both crewmen were killed.

Kind of unusual to see both the buzz number and "U.S. AIR FORCE" on the nose like that.

Mr. Brame,
Thanks for the picture and info, I have been digging all of the place and could find anything.

[Thomas Reilly]

Does anyone have info on either of the two pilots?

[TimAPNY]

Thanks for the picture as well. Cool to see what it looked like before that day.

I don't have info on the pilots but did hike to the crash site in 2007. I was amazed the tail section survived considering it looked like a straight in dive to the ground.

Tim