The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-17
MAYNARD DOWN, BUT
STILL IN AIR RACE
Crankshaft of "Flying Par
sons" Plane Breaks Near
Omaha.
WILL GET A NEW MOTOR
Lieut.. Pearson Now Leader
Eleven Westbound Fliers
Have Reached Goal.

Beivin W. Maynard. the flying parson.
blow as he was winging his way across
the continent shortly before noon. which
probably will result in his losing the
eastbound race. The crankshaft of his
motor suddenly snapped as he was fly
ing at height of 5000 feet between
Sc Paul, Neb.. and Omaha.
When his motor stopped Lieut. May
nard Immediately picked smooth land
ing place from the country spread be-
fore him and glided toward it. With a
dead stick" his De Haviland plane
nevertheless was able to glide FIVE feet
for every one of descent, and he landed
In a cornfield without damaging his
plane. The accident occurred near the
little town Of Wahoo, forty miles west
Of Omaha, and some 1881 miles from
his destination. Mineola.
News of the accident reached Capt.
Roy N. Francis, pilot of the Martin
bomber, which crashed at Yutan. ten
miles west of Wahoo, several days ago
in a thick fog. Capt. Francis imme-
diately hurried to the crippled De Havi-
land with an offer of one of the two
Liberty motors which propelled the
bomber. Work was Immediately started
on the transfer, but it is long and
hard task in that section. where there
are neither airplane mechanics nor tools.
The broken motor In the De Haviland
is 400 horsepower Liberty motor. pre-
cisely like those in the bomber.
Capt. Francis aided in taking out one
of the bomber's motors and sent II to
Lieut.. Maynard on an automobile truck.
Major simons Out of Race.
81 am still in the race" Lieut. May
nard telephoned to Lieut.. H. r. Wells
of the Omaha control Immediately after
the accident. The flying parson hastily
set to work to get his ship in flying
condition without wasting any time in
bewailing his bad fortune or In cussing
the offending crankshaft. m the Of
fcers' quarters at Mitchell Field. Mineola,
Mrs. Maynard. his wife. who had baked
a big cake in honor OF the fiier's ex-
pected arrival tonight, announced that
she would have another fresh cake
waiting whenever he got home to her
and her two baby girls.
Hes certainly welcome whenever he
comes and he can't come any too soon."
she said cheerfully. She added In re-
Spouse to questions that 1t was true
that the flying parson never cussed and
said that his great skill as a mechanic,
q skill which made him one of the fore
most test pilots in France, would help
him out of his predicament much better
than profanity.
News of the mishap caused regret
among air service officials and army
officers generally in Washington and red
tape went by the board. 1t was imme-
diately announced. even before word
was received of the projected transfer
of the motor from the bomber, that an
other airplane would be rushed to May
nard II necessary in order that he might
complete his record breaking flight.
In view of Lieut. Maynard's skill as a
mechanic great interest Is shown in the
time II will take him to shift motors
with nc facilities in the middle of a
Nebraska cornfeld. Even in a well
equipped aerodrome it would take two
days. 1t is stated.
Hoped to he in Chicago Soon.
Lieut.. H r. Wells Omaha control Of
ficer, Immediately wired asking for per-
mission to transfer the motor from the
bomber to the De Haviland. but it is IN
derstood work was begun on the transfer
immediately. Lieut. Maynard had COW
cred about 32s miles in the morning be-
fore his motor went dead, and It seemed
almost certain that he would spend last
night in Chicago and hop to New York
to-day.
He started from Sidney at :15 A. NJ,
QeSDlle the IdCI Indl SilOW was
at the time. The 112 miles to the con-
troll at North Platte was covered in 5S
minutes, and the hop from there to st.
Paul, 11S miles, in an hour and four
minutes. He had then proceeded about
% of the 1872 miles separating him from
Omaha when the crankshaft gave way.
The man closest on Lieut.. Maynard &
heels is Lieut. Alexander Pearson. Jr.,
who left Reno yesterday morning and
o'clock. He arrived at Cheyenne. 450
miles from Maynard, by night
Capt J. o. Donaldson, flying alone in
an SE-5, small British scout machine,
is probably second. Capt Donaldson left
San Francisco on Wednesday after being
held I'D nearly an hour after his In
tended start because mechanics filled his
motor with ordinary cylinder oil instead
of castor oil. He was compelled to make
a forced landing In the marshes between
Benicia and Suisun. and was helped out
again by a number of schoolgirls. He
reached Sacramento and spent the night
there.
The Mineola filters who have reached
San Francisco were increased to clever
Yesterday by the arrival of Lieut.. 5. w
Torney, who settled down on the Preside
dyfnR field at 2 rs p. M Lieut. j
n. REYNOLDS and Lieut.. T. S. Bowen
who were eighth and ninth in the race
have announced that as far as they are
concerned the race is over. They will
not fly back.
Two crashes occurred yesterday, bu
not a single contestant was badly hurt
Capt. Harry Smith, pilot OF Dr.
which was sixth in the race to San Fran
cisco, wrecked his entry while attempt
ing 10 make a landing In a field si'
miles east Of Fernley. New, about fort!
miles east of Reno.
Capt Felix Steinie. pilot OF anothc
DH-i, was scratched and bruised yes
terday afternoon when his ship over
turned in landing at the control station
at Fort d. A Russell. at Cheyenne
The damage to his plane is not we
known, so he may still be In the race
His mechanic. Sergeant H. Myers es
capped without injury.
Lieut.. Stanley C. Miller. observer o
Plane a.. who was killed with Lieu
French Kirby on Wednesday when thei
plane crashed to the ground at CAST
Rock, Utah, was a son of Mr.. and Mrs
Christian Miller of Toledo. Lieut.. NIL
Ter, who was married, was formerly
reporter on the Toledo Blade. He wen
20 Camp Sherman in the fall OF l9l
and was transferred to the Air Service
Cannot start From Mineola.
Poor hying conditions at Mineola an
Mt Binghamton, the first control static
on the westward flight, prevented tw
Pilots from taking on yesterday for Sa
francisco. Lieut.. f. c, KEEL. who al
So. H. oAf