The Lucile M. Wright Air Museum in Jamestown, New York, will open a permanent exhibit on October 17, 2026, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the crash of Continental Charters Flight 44-2. Through photographs, artifacts, interviews, and a specially commissioned aircraft sculpture, the display will tell the story of the accident and the effort to rescue those who survived. On the foggy night of December 29, 1951, the flight’s Curtiss C-46 crashed into Bucktooth Ridge in Napoli, a small town in Cattaraugus County, New York. The accident killed 26 people and left 14 survivors stranded in snow and cold for three days and two nights. According to the museum, it remains the longest stranding of a large group of airplane crash survivors in North American history.
The exhibit traces the flight, scheduled to travel from Miami to Pittsburgh and Buffalo, and the events that followed its crash. A timeline, maps, photographs, and recovered aircraft components will help visitors understand the accident and the conditions faced by the survivors. A “Salute to Rescuers” display recognizes the police officers, firefighters, farmers, and local residents who helped bring survivors and recover the victims from the ridge. Their photographs form part of an exhibit intended to preserve the memory of both the tragedy and the community’s response. Author Tim Lake, whose book Hang on and Fly recounts the story of Flight 44-2, worked with the museum to develop the exhibit. He will attend the October 17 opening to discuss his research and sign books. A limited number of copies will be available in exchange for a donation to the museum. One of the display’s central features is a C-46 sculpture commissioned from Stacey Mrva of Ironwood Studios in Springwater, New York. With a six-foot wingspan, the sculpture incorporates artifacts recovered from the crash site over the past 75 years. Mrva will also attend the opening.
Two short videos provide additional perspectives on the accident. One features Lake discussing the flight, while the other presents an interview with the late Pearl Moon, a flight attendant who survived the crash and shared her recollections decades later. The exhibit’s opening event will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 17. The Lucile M. Wright Air Museum occupies the first floor of the Hotel Jamestown Building at Third and Cherry Streets in downtown Jamestown. Admission is free, and the permanent exhibit will be available during regular museum hours: Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit lucilemwrightairmuseum.org or email [email protected].
