[Walter D. Leach]

Reply to request for NAvy plane 9593. This aircraft was flown by Lt. Walter Dennison Leach Jr., who was my father. He was a USNA grad of 1924 and was flying out of North Island on routine gunnery practice. The right upper wing of the plane broke off an he spiraled into 1800 feet of water off what is now Miramar. No recovery of pilot or plane was made. I acquired the formal 100 page review of the accident just several years ago, with the help of Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, through the national archives.
Any questions you may have will be gladly answered. I have one myself. I find it somewhat curious that you could know of the accident and plane type but not have discovered the pilot's name at the sme time.