New-York tribune., 1922-11-13
Pilot Killed as
Plane Hits Tree
And Takes Fire
Lieut.. Blaney, of Mitchell
Field, Meets Death as
Racing Machine Crashes
at Hartford Air Meet
Flames Consume Body
Bride Frustrated by News of
Tragedy; Army Officials
to Order Investigation
Special Dispatch TO The Tribune

HARTFORD, Conn, Nov. 12.-Lieu-
tenant John Blaney, Of the army mir
service, stationed at Mitchell Field,
Long Island, was killed this afternoon
during three-day air meet here in
celebration of Armistice Day.
Blaney was the sole occupant of a
De Haviland-4 entered in the twenty
five-mile relay race and was making a
crosswind landing, coming from tho
south, with brisk breeze from the
northwest across his course, when his
left wing tip fouled the top branches
of tree at the south end of Brainard
Field, the municipal landing station.
The airplane slipped and fell. The
impact cracked the gasoline tank, and
before men who had begun to rush to-
ward the spot as soon as the wing tip
brushed the tree top could reach the
plane it was wrapped in flames
Blaney's body was partly consumed
before it could be dragged from the
wreck.
Struck Air-Pocket
1t is believed that as he reached the
level Of the tree.tops he slid into an
air-pocket caused by cross-currents
which caused his wing tip to drop. just
enough to foul the branches.
Blaney's airplane was equipped with
q Liberty motor and was capable Of
great speed. He was travelling fast
probably 115 miles an hour, at the low
altitude usual to relay race, and close
observers say he was watching almost
entirely out of the right side Of the
cockpit. Apparently he saw and cas-
lily cleared tree on his right side, but
failed to notice q taller tree on the
left, his attention being concentrated
on the relay race. =.
His flying partner, Lieutenant VAL
entine, was waiting to take off and fin
ish the race as soon as the wheels of
Blaney's plane touched the ground. The
race was never finished, for Valentine
Although the pilots body was
here tonight that Blaney's death was
instantaneous as result Of the ter
rife crash when the speeding plane
was brought up short by the tree and
turned over on the ground. Rlaney
leaves a wife, native of California,
who is now at Mitchell Field. The body
will probably be buried at the National
Cemetery at Arlington.
Victim Was Texan
Blaney was thirty years old. His
home was in Texas. He had been a
pilot for five years and until recently
was stationed in the Philippines. He
was enc of the most popular pilots at
the meet and was the winner Of bomb
ing contest which took place yesterday.
Major Junius Jones, Of Mitchell Field,
! is conducting an inquiry to determine
the cause of the accident.
Forty other pilots at the meet con-
| tinued to engage in contests and take
up passengers for three hours after the
accident.
Word of Lieutenant Blaney's death
brought gloom to Mitchell Field yester-
day afternoon. His bride of ten months
was almost prostrated with grief, and
Major Weaver, the commandant, was
visibly affected when he opened the tel
egram reporting the young aviator $
death. Many officers at the post had
served overseas or in the Philippines
with the dead lieutenant.
Lieutenant Blaney was among the
first to enroll for the aviation training
camps after this country entered the
war. He received his commission in
1917. Since then he has served both
in the Philippines and in Germany
He was placed in charge Of the 9th
| Observation Squadron when he was
| transferred to Mitchell Field last
| March and was generally considered
one of the best flyers at the post. OF.
| lContinued ON uext neaal