The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-24
FOG CAUSE OF SMASH
Officials Believe, Pilot, Veter-
an of World War, "Never
Knew What Happened"
THREE THROWN OUT OF SHIP
Horribly Bruised, Died Almost
Instantly; Impact Scatters
Rocks Over Big Area

MtNEOLA, N. Y, Sept. g5.-F'irst
Lieut.. Raymond u. Davis, u. S. A. air
service and five enlisted men were
killed when n huge Martin bomb
ing plane crashed to earth at Mitchell
field late tonight.
The enlisted men killed were. First
Sergt. Thomas Benficld, Corp. David
II. Stiven and Prlyates Edward III.
Kane, Henry Ray Nichols and Irving
NJ Whitney. all stationed at Mitchell
field.
a report OF tho accident az given
out several hours later by the adJu-
tants office at the field said that the
plane had been inspected shortly be-
fore leaying the field and that the
cause OF the fatal accident prob
ably never would be known"
Soon after leaving tho field" the
report said 'the plane passed out OF
the rays Of the huge HcarchlghtB
which had been arranged and the
plane approached II steep angle and
then suddenly went into n nose dive.
There were no lights on tho plane
as IT fell. The crash occurred some
distance from the field"
Pulled Body From Wreck.
ts hftibg vi AHllkyNlilf,
who WINS driving on the main road
to Garden CITY stopped his car and
crossed into the field where tho
plane was burning. He pulled the
first OF the bodies from the wreck.
All of the men killed with the ex-
.ceptlon OF Davis were attached to the
sixth air park. stationed az Mitchell
field Bcncficlds home addroAS was
Chicago; Stiyen's home was In New
York; Nichols came from Car Hin.
Texas and Whitney from Ashburn-
ham, Mass. Kane's address was not
given.
Although tho plane fell in sight
OF thousands Of persons ana Dc
Haviland plane which was flying
near the bomber at the time OF tho
accident, landed in n field near by
within few minutes, many conflict
ing reports, which could not be COM
firmed were at once in circulation.
An order from Major Weaver,
stating that no Information was TO
bo given pending n preliminary ok
animation by army officers, retard-
ed the work OF gathering the facts.
Charrcd Body Found In Seat.
Only "A charrcd body was found In
tho seat Of the plane which Lieutent-
ant Davis had occupied. lie was
n veteran OF the World war and was
officially credited with one GArmnn
plane. The bodies OF Kane and BEN
field we're found clear OF tho wreck.
Ambulances with motors running
had been kept waiting on tho field
all night ready for any emergency.
As soon as the plane crashed two Of
the 8mbulances sped over the mile
and n half distances. Civilian auto
mobiles and a fire chemical auto
mobile took part IN the race. The
fire apparatus finished first at
wire fence Just outside, which tho
plane had fallen. Tho fence was
broken 10 admit the reHcuors, Army
surgeons found TINT the three men,
still Hlivc. had been thrown clear OF
the flaming wreck. Evidently these
thrco had realized tho danger and
were standing near the bow when
the plano struck the ground.
Injured Terribly Battered.
The injured were terribly batter
cd, but for a slf0rt time the surgeons
thought they had n fighting chance
OF recovery. They died soon after
reaching the field hospital.
Tho impact Of the plane had been
so violent that pieces OF rock were
scattered over an area OF 500 feet.
Preliminary Investigation OF the
accident was begun az once. The
presence Of land mist. which came
up suddenly drifting down Long
Island. was mld might have been
held I'M part responsible, II was
pointed out that q pilot flyinE low
at night regardless OF his experience
could well become coQfuscd under
such atmospheric conditions Ex-
perienccd ground mcn" expressed
the opinion that Davis probably
never knew what happened"
Lieutenant Davis was 2S years old
and wes considered one Of the ahlest
CONTINUED oS PAGE TWELVE