New Britain herald., 1920-02-28
FALLS , MILES AND
 LIVES ID TELL OF IT
Maj. Schroeder Also Makes New - Altitude Record

Dayton. Feb 2S.--An airplane car rying Major R. w Schroeder, chief test pilot at~McG,ooil Field, yesterday fell more than five miles. after reach ing an altitude of 3S,e20 feet, said to be 5,2o2 feet higher than the worlds record.
 Today the major is in a. hospital suffering from shock and temporary partial # blindness. Instruments on the machine indicate that it fell more than five miles in two minutes While still 2,o00 feet above the ground the airplane, lighted itself and glded to a graceful landing.
 When the plane settled, attendants who rushed toward it found Major Schroeder sitting erect in the ma chine, apparently lifeless. For a brief time, residents of Dayton were sure a comet had appeared in the sky. They had mistaken the trail Of vapor esca ping from the machine as il sped downward for a 'stranser in the h h2avans. Thousands of persons gazed sl>yward watching the plane, which had ascended two hours before the plunge downward.
 Eyes Were Frozen shut
 Major Schroeder lost consciousness when his machine had reached height recorded by instruments as 36,020, or 5,u2O feet higher than the worlds record established by Roland ROhlfS last summer.
 His senses nunlbed and his eyes frozen shut in 2 temperature said to have been e. degrees below zero. Schroeder regained partial conscious ness when 2,000 feet above the earth iii tinle to right his machine and pre- oh {o out of control.
 The thousands of spectators were unaware at the time that they were witnessing a drama of the sky" They saw a speck of black silhouetted against the blue, to which was at tached a ''tale'' of grayisl color. Gradually the object was enlarged as it hurled to the earth. When but a few thousand feet above them, those watching saw that it was an airplane, turning in Q tail spin. It was at this point that Major Schroeder regained control of his plane and headed it to- ward McCook Field. Here Major Schroeder made a safe landing and collapsed.
 Oxygen Supply Gave Out.
 He was blinded and his limbs We're numb, despite the electrically heated suit, in which he was encased. He was suffering from the effects of lack of oxygen. When, nearly seven miles from the earth, his oxygen tanks became exhausted. and it was fhis which robbed him of consciou us- ness and caused him to fall.
 Mechanics and officers at ALcCook Field lifted Major Schroeder from the plane and he was given first aid treatment, and later being removed to the hospital, where it was said his blindness will be only temporary. It will be several days before he will be able to use his eyes, according to pr. Howard Y. Dutrow, an eye spe- cialist. called into consultation.
 The instruments on his machine recorded the best story Of the experi- cnces of the aviator in his flight to beat, the record of Roland Rohlfs and bring first honors to the air forces Of the United States army.
 The thermometer registered a tem- perature of 55 degrees below zero centigrade. or 67 degrees. below zero Fahrenheit. Altitude figures from the barograph reading indicated q, height Of 3I 900 feet, and when cali brated by Capt. Hal rison w Flick inger.. showed an official altitude of 36,020 feet a new worlds record and q variation of less than 1,ooo feet.
 Reached 36.O2O-E'oot Altitude.
 The mark set -by Major Schroeder again gives him the record which Roland ReInlfs won from him July 90. 1919. with an official altitude of S0,30O feet and later increased in a second flight to 1000 feet. It also breaks the record of Adjutant Casale, a, French pilot, who was credited with an unofficial record Of 33.137 feet.
 Major Schr roeders first altitude rec ord was made at Dayton. Sept. IS. 1918, when he flew a. Bristol fighting machine to an altitude of 2S.9O0 feet.
 Leaving the field at 1o:4J o'clock