Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-06
PLANE IN COLLISION
UNSEEN BY OTHER
Death of Two Naval Aviators
Result of Peculiar Ac-
cident Over River.

A mid-air collision Of two planes.
one Of the most remarkable accidents
In local aeronautical history. cost the
lives of two naval aviators. and re-
suited in an almost miraculous escape
Of two others. The collision occurred
yesterday afternoon. 500 feet over the
Potomac. about a mile out from Gies-
boro point.
The dead are Lieut. Harold F. Sell
den. twenty-five years old: wen
known local boy. and his flying mate
Ensign Frank Miller. thirty-two.
They were occupants of plane
known as the Up. T. p" which was
testing a modification OF propeiiof
blade.
Lieut.. Commander C. ". Johnson
commandant of the naval air station
and c. w. Jacobs, machinist mate.
second class, were occupants OF the
other plane. known as the "E. NJ
who escaped.
Both planes were wrecked:
Exact details of the accident may
never come to light. Commander
Johnson. however. says that his plane
was flying at a height Of 500 rect
when, suddenly. at sos o'clock. there
was a sudden Jolt from the lower side'
and his motor stopped.
Other Plane, Not Seen.
INV goggles were pushed slanting-
ly across my face" he said yesterday.
land / was unable to see anything
until after I had come to the surface race
after landing. My plane wobbied
down, landed on the surface OF the
water, and then. probably from the
injury of a pontoon. went over on
it's nose. We were strapped INTO our
seats, but as the plane went over we
tripped the belt catches and came out
from under Neither of us had sur.
fered any serious injury. and the nrst
we knew of the accident to Selden
plane was when we saw 1t out IN tne
river, with the rudder just above the
1.-THE peculiar thing was that we
were out looking for them. We saw
nothing of their plane. and did NOT
known in reality what had happened
until we were webbing down toward
the surface"
No time was lost in obtaining help.
Edward H. Eaton. a resident OF G1es,
boro Point. better known as hi,
rowed out to the wrecked plane OF
Commander johnson ana TOOK MIN
cue skin made the journey to the
scene Of the other wrecked plane, and
Commander Johnson, stripped to the
waist, started diving In An endeavor
ITO locate the two drowning aviators;
by the time that auxiliary motor craft
from the navy yard and the naval air
station reached the plane all hope
for saving the aviators had been
abandoned.
Aid From Quantico.
The Eagle Boat %, station ship at
ouantico, Lieut. small in command.
passine by on a trip to the marine
base, hove to and stood by to render
assistance.
her way to the wreck. came along
side Of the airplane and by means
of a boom block and tackle hoisted
the wreckage clear OF the river sur
face for sufficient time to extri-
cate the bodies OF the two ayiators
wires and struts in such q manner
az to preclude any possibility Of es-
cape. They were strapped to their
seats
Diving and swimming by Chief
Gunner's Mate 8. J. "Reds william
lin attaching the lines by which the
boom on the lighter raised the wreck
age.
small fleet of craft moved away from
the scene of the wreck. Lieut.. Dean
! ana q group VI poAASChiSh Aoh lAo
harbor precinct were on hand with
| the police harbor boat the Maj. Syl-
vester, and aided in various ways In
| the wreck work.
Lieut.. selden Popular.
| Lieut.. Selden was one of the most
popular officers attached to the naval
air station. Nicknamed Bunny" he
was known for his excellence in ath.
letic activities and was considered
one of the best pilots attached to the
air station.
He had attended Central High School
| where he established a reputation al
foot ball, base ball ana basket ball
He was the District Junior tennis
champion for two consecutive years
| and paired with the late Howard
! Cissel. won the inter-high school net
championship one year. Last year HI