Aviation Tragedy
Gwinnett County, Gwinnett County, Georgia
Marker Inscription
Aviation Tragedy. In the evening hours of December 6, 1953 four F-84D jet aircraft of 128th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the Georgia Air National Guard crashed near this site. They were returning from a routine weekend training flight from the Miami area when they encountered unexpected weather and altitude awareness problems as they prepared to land at Dobbins AFB near Marietta, Georgia. All of the pilots perished. No one on the ground was injured although the impact destroyed the home of the Ernest Brooks family that by chance were not home. After the accident the United States Air Force changed the design of the altimeter, the instrument used to determine altitude, making it easier to read. This change probably saved many lives in the future. The Pilots were Captain Idon M. Hodge Jr., 1st Lieutenant Elwood C. Kent, and 2nd Lieutenant William A. Tennent.
The Story
On the evening of December 6, 1953, four F-84 jets of the Georgia Air National Guard's 128th Fighter Bomber Squadron went down near this spot while returning from weekend training and trying to land at Dobbins Air Force Base in bad weather. All the pilots were killed, though no one on the ground was hurt — the family whose home was destroyed happened to be away. Investigators traced the disaster in part to confusion reading the aircraft altimeter, prompting the U.S. Air Force to redesign the instrument.
Why it matters
A local tragedy became a national safety lesson: the redesigned altimeter that followed likely saved countless aircrews in the decades after.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Attractions
- Ante Bellum Plantation House14.0 mi away
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Related people
- · Idon M. Hodge Jr.
- · Elwood C. Kent
- · William A. Tennent
Related events
- · 1953 Georgia Air National Guard crash
Themes & tags
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