Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-28
THRILLING EXPERIENCES
OF NC-3 IN STORM At SEA
Gallant Craft Withstood Waves
Buffctirg. but Was Seriously
Damaged.
LOST WAY IN UPPER AIR
Forced 10 Make Sea Landing Under
Conditions Prccluding Possibility
OF Further Flight-Commandcr
Richardson Tells of Mishaps.


Cd 5sdsy hr;,c SH h saofS ssn
F FSus reqrncy e NG,3 from TIsenasscw New
pietc With unasuai and exciting 'f incidents rs
rcmms nder Richa rdsons story narrates
ea Of the d wh mG &c mG her sN ssah
void RI. sov fysn vi tGr o yo by
rsesd3y by soc;ial cable from is6on r9rtn;
History nrht 10 be a afnGsdt OF the
BY COMMANDER II. &. RICHARDSON.
Pilot Of NC-:.
copyright. 1919. by Universal Service
Trepasscy Friday evening all went well
with us until $3.50 tNew York timeD
saturday Sat morning. ~ that time, We
miles, in l5S hours.
From the time We passed station
ship No. 5 VIC had passed through five
hours OF rain squalls and fog. so thick
at times as TO make it impossible 10
ocean.
The air was 50 rough that tho navi-
gator was not satisfied with the ac-
curacy of his sights
passing DESTROYER No 10. and consid-
cred II advisable 10 make a sea land
ing IL order TO determine our posi-
tlon. Inc only vessel We had seen
vas far off TO tho southwark OF our
course. as we figured later. It prob
ably was the United States steamship
Marblchead.
Sen Landing Seemed Feasible.
From the appearance Of the sea a
landing seemed feasible, and the di-
vision commander, after consultation
attempt. because our gas supply was
running low and il was essential TO
employ what we had to the best adj
squalls. il was not Impossible that we
should suddenly run into land with
mountains ahead.
Accordingly, We swung around for
surface cautiously. picked suitable
opportunity. throttled the engine close
TO the surface and made contact. The
sharp wave, which dropped from under
US: the next was on the far side OF
the next wave, in a deep hollow.
a., We hauled up Well and stalled the
wave also dropped sharply and let us us
IA! heavily on the sharp ores; OF the
following wave. The last blow was
a sharp one. and examination showed
that. the hull had been severely dam.
aged. The tubular struts OF the front
center engine were bent like a bull
me engine Panels were very slacH due
TO she settling OF the wings The
ai!eron leads also were slack
Hull Begins to Leak
Further examination showed the hull
70 be leaking forward. hu, not dan
;
huckled and cracked as we'll as several
floor frames, The bottom piankinr
still held, bun the principal buikheads
were damaged locally where they de-
ivered their load to the main hull
.russes One truss wire was carried
away.
Il was a, o-ce apparent that It would
'e imn-ac;!cahle 10 resume ;he fight,
was not the case. Ten 20 twelve-foot
waves were running. superimposed on
heavy ground swell
To communicate by radio Z, was
aeesssaFy 70 relooate ne radio gen
peuerS THIS WAS done. and by run
n!nS the port engine Ne were all. 10
rad!4te for range Of ten miles hui,
although We could hear the patrol
boats working. our messages wetc no,
acknowledged.
Then Forty-Fi,e Mile. From Hor,a.
From our supposed position. when
We later confirmed We're abou,
forty FIVE miles southwest Of Io-,s
The wind favo!ing us we started TO
e .s aste.n on a course that would
+ - we intercepted a wireless -eport
that NC-i was At Horca alongside ,ha
ooinmoIa and ready 10 proceed 10
Ponta pel-ada the ncx; day. NC-l was
reported down win damaged lef;
wing. and The search for her was on
~ 7. NJ W. set the watch. and
u mus Ie oc .lTT iF o. to Nothing
49, &c 'r.o y mat period. got
a ..,o,.i three hours s!eo,f; though the
the , s,sa s G ne M TanEs on the huh and
We're rather disappearing. M sleep
rom Sat'stEine'
ON y,,o me following morning. SUNDAY.
$50 the seas increased and while
rcoastins down tho face OF q big wave
me ioWer elevator caught N the water.
10, III
me elevator 10 carry away. Al
o'clock II was trailing on the edge Of
the LETT lower wing. and caught and
nToke the tails Of wing ribs We soon
decided TO cut away the broken portion
Left Tin IIout n,c,L
I,e, way
,ha int, ,fr ~" h0urs after landing
us in serious condition ono ', ~ p E
crew had 10 go out on the right wink
tip 10 Keep the left why from going
Under
We again tried hroaac.s, ( y :
nssistarr H. .''u "Sr1I ne ior