Burgoyne's Cove Plane Wreck

On March 18, 1953 an American B-36 (#51-13721) out of Rapid City, North Dakota, crashed on a hill top in Smith Sound just north of Random Island in Burgoyne’s Cove killing all 23 men on board. Once you find the trail head, the walk to the wreckage takes less than half an hour, but it is a steep grade. The trail is beautiful bordered by ferns. Part of the fuselage is intact as are several engines and other large parts of the plane. A black monument sits at the highest point overlooking the ocean.

Heading west out of St. John’s, Burgoyne’s Cove is about 30 minutes (35 km) off the Trans Canada through Clarenville on Route 231 and then 232. Heading east you turn north on the 230 towards Bonavista and then south on 230A and then east on 232.

This sign marks the trail head.

Once you arrive in Burgoyne’s Cove famous for its slate), turn left on the paved road marked by signs for Hurley’s Slatework and Stanley’s Storage (stuck on top of a larger Newfoundland slate sign). The pavement ends quickly and after a few hundred metres, you take a right at Hurley’s Slatework. About one km beyond that, turn right at the old slate plant marked now by a sign that says Stanley’s Storage. You then drive about three kilometres on bumpy road to a small sign on the left that says USAF RB-36 Crash Site. Park here and walk up the well-marked trail. 

There is a picnic table up top in case you want to bring a lunch. Although all 23 men lost their lives in the crash, for me the site is not macabre. The monument to the men is respectful, and after the crash the Rapid City Air Force Base was renamed Ellsworth Air Force Base by President Eisenhower in honour of mission commander, Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth.