The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-18
Nine Planes at Naval Air Station
Wrecked By Sixty-FiYe-
Knot Northeaster.
SEARCHING PARTIES OUT
Navy Yard Officials Continue to
Hope That Missing Fliers
May Be Found.

Chief Petty Officers P. Mcdonald and
Charles Arthur Fuller, Of the Naval
Air Station, were still missing late
this morning. although their seaplanes,
which were wrecked in yesterdays
squall, were found late last night near
Fort McRea. Seven other seaplanes
were wrecked in the 65-knot wind
which lashed the bay into a fury Of
white water with less than 10 min
utes warning.
. Unofficial estimates OF the damage
place the loss at more than $1,000.
Searching parties were out last night
but could obtain no trace Of the miss
ing filters. Naval station officials. how
eyer,a would not give up hope that
the two men had made their way to
land and had been unable 10 cOmmu
nicate with the station.
The squall came out of the north
east, to which quarter the wind shift
ed from the west after a calm which
did not last more than a quarter OF an
hour From the northeast the wind
veered TO more easterly quarter and
for five minutes the local weather sta
ton anemOmeter registered 6i-knOt
hurricane. At the naval air station the
velocity is said to have passed the Ga
knot mark.
A large number of planes were in
the air all afternoon, although the
clouds were black and comparatively
low, threatening rain squalls. Most
Of the planes were high, so as TO keep
above the bumps" and when the storm
warming was raised at about $40
O'Clock they made the best Of their
way down to the bay adjacent to the
flying beaches.
When the squalI struck, nine planes
including an H-16A and an IIS-type
boat, were on the water in front Of
the hangers idling into the wind await
ing their turns to make the run-wdys.
These planes will Fly at % knots air
speed, and when the heavy squall
struck them it picked them up like
kites. The HS-boat was tossed against
the coal pier at the naval station and
smashed. No one ws seriously hurt.
The N-9s and Mos were tossed about
like bits Of paper and quickly wrecked
One Of them was IoOped, as if it had
bean stunting. The H-I6A was the
last to get into trouble, but when the
heaviest part of the squall struck, it,,
IoOJ Was picked up anu turned over,
dropping on its back and breaking in
two.
Speed boats and baFgcs were already
out and all of the crews were saved
with the exception Of Chiefs Fuller and
Arthur. 1t is not quite clear whether
the N9's which these men were fly
ing, had reached the water before the
Squall struck. One report is that one
Of the N-9s was seen spinning down
and that the motor left the plane, be-
ing wrenched completely clear.
Wreckage Of all planes was recoy-
cred and crews Of all except the N-9's
flown by Fuller and Arthur were res
cued. Searching parties were hunting
for them late last night Just before
dark and N-9 circled the bay in an ef-
fort TO locate them, without success.
Officials at the navy yard expressed the
hope that the two men might have
made their way to shore at some point
from which they could not get into
communication with the station last
night Planes Will go out looking for
them this morning.