Lindenhurst, NY Private Plane Crash, Nov 1963

3 DIE, 4 INJURED IN PLANE CRACKUP.

Lindenhurst, N.Y. (AP) -- A twin-engine plane crashed in flames on take-off Saturday, plummeting into the front yard of a home where a child's birthday party was being held. All three men aboard the plane were killed.
Four persons on the ground were injured, one critically.
They were standing outside the STANLEY KATA residence when the plane clipped a corner of the frame house and plunged into the yard. Flaming gasoline set fire to the KATA house and three automobiles.
Inside the house DEBORAH KATA was celebrating her ninth birthday at a family party. She and three other children, her mother and grandmother escaped injury. The fire in the house was quickly extinguished.
The dead, all officers in the Civil Air Patrol, were identified as Lt. Col. JACQUES SEGAL of Bronxville, N.Y.; Lt. Col. CLIFFORD M. JOHNSON of Malverne, N.Y. and Capt. WILLIAM GIBSON of Massapequa Park, N.Y.
All three were married. SEGAL and GIBSON were fathers.
The plane was based at Westchester County airport near White Plains, N.Y.
The person injured had just stepped out of the KATA house to look at a second-hand car KATA bought earlier Saturday.
Police said they were told the plane reached about tree-top height, then veered to the left and crashed. It had just taken off from Zahns airport, a private field near this Long Island community.

Logansport Pharos - Tribune Indiana 1963-11-17
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!