The New York herald., 1921-05-30

at the field the visitors who had gone
from Washington In the Ave planes
prepared to take off. The ambulance
plane. piloted by Lieut.. Ames, got
into the air first. the others following
In quick succession.
The ambulance plane left the flying
field at 4:30 o'clock with the weather
fine, although the forecast had said
there might be thunderstorms. The
accident happened at 6:25 o'clock,
almost two hours later, which indi-
Gated that there had been trouble in
the air before the crash.
1t is customary to make the trip
from Langley Field to Washington in
a little more than an hour, the ordi-
nary time with the faster planes be-
ing one hour and fifteen minutes
while some pilots have made the trip
in ffty-five minutes. The time OF the
accident was fixed from the fact that
Mr.. Connolly's watch-on his wrist
which was broken, indicated that
time. Then the storm was at it's
height.
One Witness of Accident.
SO far as it is possible to learn only
one person saw the accident. farmer
living near Morgantown. While the
story he told does not appear to the
army officers entirely plausible. it is
indicated that the plane fell 1000 to
1000 feet, striking over some trees
then pointing nose downward. 1t was
demolished, but there was no fire. APP
parently the pilot cut off the switch
so as to prevent a flareup from the
gasolene tanks when hessaw the fall
was inevitable.
The bodies of the victims we're not
located until early this morning, due
to the fact that the scene is difficult
to reach and that persons who knew
OF the accident were too superstitious
to go to help. Nobody went to the
scene so far as could be learned until
an expedition was sent out from the
Naval Station at Indian Head and
from the Army Air Station at Boiling
Field The bodies. therefore, remained
in the wrecked plane throughout the
night. The fact that nobody reached
the scene before mattered little in the
opinion OF army officers. since it was
evident death was instantaneous.
1t seems that the people of the section
who knew of the crash. chiefly farmers
are negroes, many of them uneducated,
are afraid of aircraft. although, due -
the extensive flying between Washington
and the army and navy air stations ii
the vicinity of Hampton Roads. many
army planes and seaplanes go over them
daily.
Dimcult to Get Guide.
Even when an automobile arrived in
the vicinity from Boiling Field with
officers who were on their way TO the
scene there was difficulty in finding any
one who would show the way. IT last
one man volunteered TO lead the off,
GERS, but he tainted before the destina-
ton was attained. The country in tina.
section is cut with tiny streams and
numerous swamps, so 1t is difficult to
negotiate It, 1t was we'll after daylight.
when the bodies finally were found.
The dead were in the fuselage of the
airplane. strapped in, as Is the rule
They were removed and taken to the
naval yacht Dolphin, which happened to
be In the vicinity of Indian Head. The
Dolphin proceeded up the Potomac 10
the Washington Navy Yard and the
bodies were removed to Walter Reed
Hospital.
II was IL o'clock last night before
officers at Boiling Field got word that
there had been an accident to the gi-
gantic plane When the machine left
Langley Field. as Is customery when AL
airplanes 60 out, message was sent to
Boiling Field by radio giving the time
of the departure. Because OF the failure
or the plane to arrive on schedule time
the officers got to wondering what had
happened, bur saw a possibility that be-
cause of the heavy storm a landing had
been made at some place between Hamp
ton and Washington. They were, how
ever. on the lookout and there was much
communication between the two air sta
tions.
Relief Expedition Sent.
The news that there had been a
crash came through the Indian Head
naval station and relief expedition
was sent out from Boiling Field at IL
o'clock.
THE accident was due entirely 70
the Storm" Brig.-Gen. Mitchell declared
tonight TT was impossible TO fly in
It There is no doubt the plane was
caught In an air current that forced 1t
to the ground with crash
Virtually the same thing happened
TO capt Burdett g. Wright. aide to Gen.
Mitchell, who had one of five planes
on the way to Washington Capt
Wright was caught In an air current at
Rockpoint. Nd, and crashed to the
ground, wreclxing his plane and receiv-
ing a broken nose.
"Unquestionably this happened to the
airplane pIloted by Lieut.. Ames," Gen.
Mitchell continued. "Ames was an ace
and one OF the best pilots in the Ameri-
can Army The accident could not have
been helped.
There were approximately eight air
planes up at Langley Field yesterday
and not a single accident No storm
was in sight when the planes left the
field They ran into II II broke sud-
denly and was the worst 1 have ever
seem