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C-45 Abandoned Midflight Discovered in Lake Ontario

Discovered 60 years after its occupants bailed.

Divers looking for shipwrecks in Lake Ontario came across a historic find when they stumbled upon a C-45 that crashed into the lake more than six decades ago.

The C-45, the military version of the Beech Model 18, remained relatively intact after plunging into the lake on Sept. 11, 1952. The airplane was abandoned midflight after the left engine failed and all five aboard parachuted to safety.

The airplane was just eight miles away from its intended destination, Griffis Air Force Base, when the incident occurred and the airplane began to lose altitude. The C-45 traveled another 65 miles after all aboard evacuated before finally crashing into Lake Ontario.

Crews conducted a search for the airplane immediately after the incident, but abandoned the effort after a few days.

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