Norwich bulletin., 1921-05-30

of the Accident Probably Washington, May 29.-(By the A. P.) Seven men, five of the army and two civilians were killed in the wreck ef an army Curtiss- Eagle ambulance airplane near Indian Head, Maryland, forty miles southeast of Washington yesterday even- irg in a terrific wind and electrical storm.
 The dead are;
 Lieutenant Colonel Archie Miller, U. S. A., NJ II. H., Washington, D. C. Maurice Connolly of Dubuqe, Iowa, former member of the house of represent sUves.
 A. c. Batchelder of Washington, D. C.. chairman of the board of the Ameri- can Automobile Association.
 Lieutenant Stanley N. Amcs of Wash lu-ten. pilot of the wrecked plane.
 Lieutenant CIS--:Snd w. McDermott, Langley Field. Va.
 Lieutenant John M. Pennewill, Langley Field. Va.
 sergeant Mechanic Richard Blumen- kranz Washington, D. C.
 Army air service officers said the~ac- cident was the worst in the history of aV- istion in the United States either m1li- tary or civil. and that it was one of the
 
 falling plane has been killed almost in- stsntly.
 The shin struck the ground nose first, and the force of the impact was so. great that the big 400-hors51ower Liberty mo- tor in the front cid of the craft was torn from it's chassis and thrown back into the cockpit on top of the pi5t and the passengers. All of the bodies were badly mutilated.
 Ran Into storm
 Tho Curtiss-Earle was returning from n t-'0 10 Langley Fe,d near Newport News, Va, and had just crossed the Pc tmac river. when l. ran into the storm which had passed over Washington ar hour before. The exact cause of the ac r.dcrt probably never will be known, a' those !n the machine were dead wher witnesses from Morgantown, a little vii laEe near Indian Head, reached the scene An official investigation Of the acci 5ent will be ordered At that investiga lion it !s possible an Inquiry will be made Into the general design and practica use by the army of such machine. tn only one Of It's type in the army serVic hatted with ambulance equipment. Ali Fs-v!ce officers said today that when th' n,ane left Langley Field 1t was apoar
  hos1 functioning properly during severa hours in the m ming and afternoon.
 Captaiu De Lavergne, air attache Q inc French embassy. who made the tri In the Eagle from Washington, said tc night that in his opinion the Eagle wa unbalanced
 Machine Was Badly Balanced
 "The machine was badly balanced raptain De LaverEne said,s Tt had s-1sU motor. of only 400 horse power, tn weight was too much; the pilot could nc -autro. it.. l declined to return in 1t an game back by boat.
 Representatives Campbell of Kansa chairman of the house rules committe and Walsh or Massachusetts who weI to Langiey Fielt in the Eagle also r turned to Washington by beat NJ Campbell said tonight the element pafety ha dnot entered into their decisc not to return in the Eagle that both them were seasick and the air in u c'osed plane was bad.
 If the ship had been open we wou have returned in it," said MT Campbe T suggested t9 Walsh that we retH1 hy boat. He was seasick and I didr feel very steady. We had been mo than two hours at sea in Mart bomber observing bombing experiments "On the way down 10 Langley Field | air wae rough and very bunny. We h; q wonderfully good pilot He would IT Into aus air bank like it was a hilsi and then the machine would drop som times more than 100 feet"
 One of the Best Pilots in Service
 Er!Eadler General Michtell, assists chief of the army air service, who g cmpanied the Eagle to Langley Fie and who had an exciting battle with storm during his return flight, said Lie tenant Ames piloting the Eagle, " considered one of the best pilots in service and this his ship apparently W in psrfec; condition
 We felt no concern over his safet sa!d the general and when the Eal elrcled over the cid a couple of tin before strengthening out on the nothe courge for Washington it was runni perfectly. We waved goodbye from { nEeld. expecting that the big ship wol be in Washington before we were req to leave Langley,
 The Eagle left Langley Field at ab' 4s0 p. m. yesterday, the time of wreck Is placed at 6.25 p, m, the hour which 6 watch carried by MT. Como FRs found 10 have stopped.
 Trees Prevented Earlier Landing.
 Naval officers Rt Indian Head " Eaw tho plano go down declare thac P Ames tried to bring his machine do before the full force of the storm stru but that he war prevented from mak landing at tho kst attempt by r--avs af trees. rho alrshlp crossed o The trees sefelY and appeared to put power ts reach an open field a short taucs away,
 Apparently the motor either failed respond or the high wind checked ships flight for l. was Eeen 10 turn 0 and fall nose rst, l. was then onl! few feet in The Rir, Officers ht Ind Head sent s detachment to tho Ecens, r was Hsrne time before they arrived vyerd sf the accident did not reach B irg Fieid here until Il e'blepk last nix
 Officers at the field had been await fine arrival sf the E7sie. but when f7lied te arrive early in the evening [ assumed that she either had Ian Somewhere te esespe Inc storm or turned back to Langley Field ! Anes, wife Bf the pilot was wal for her husband at tho landing fold and when the report 9f Inc accident ci she started for Mer=shtewn In her hl mobile. arriving after ruidaight and taaiHine there through inc night,
 Bpdles Sent ta Washington.
 The bodies ss the Gead wore taken sf the plane by the naval detachn eAa nsa1gs teaaf Mere AtarteA Ata .4Hi k.1tae1sss= ez14a