7/1994

Robert McGrath is a 49 year old resident of Patrick’s Cove. He is the son of Mr. Anthony McGrath and the nephew of Mr. Johnny McGrath.

Robert says that most of what he has heard about the plane he heard in houses where men gathered years ago in Patrick’s Cove. Based on what he heard there were only four people who have ever seen the wreckage of the plane in the Gull Pond.

The first two people to have seen the metal sticking out of the ice at the Gull Pond were his father and Ronald McGrath. Ronald is now deceased. Robert’s father said that he and Ronald found the metal sticking out of the ice while crossing the Gull Pond in search of caribou. His father claims to have twisted the metal back and forth until it came free from the ice. His father explained to him that it was a light piece of metal that was attached to a framing that had wood on it. From what he has heard from his father, Robert says his piece of the plane went missing after he had hidden it in the country near the pond. The two men did not take the piece home with them on this occasion because they would have a load of caribou to take with them. Anthony planned on getting it when he would be back to the area trapping, when he would not have so much to carry home.

Robert also recalls Mr. Patsy Judge having brought home a piece of the wreck. This piece, he heard, was burned in Patsy’s stable when it caught fire when Patsy lived in Gooseberry Cove.

Robert can also remember his Uncle Johnny having a piece of the plane. He can remember this piece being in Johnny’s cellar.

He can recall him and his friends wanting to play with the metal, but Johnny would not let them. He has heard that this piece could have been thrown out in the “sallys,” or could have been torn down with Johnny’s stable.

There was a fourth man, Albert McGrath, who told Robert that he had seen a piece of the wreck that had been carried by the ice raft further down the Gull Pond to Branch River. Albert had planned to go back to further investigate, but Robert is not quite sure whether he did or not. Albert claimed that this piece had wood attached to it.