Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-02-02
HAD BEEN FLYING ONLY
BRIEF TINE BEF RE
FATAL CRASH CAM {
Machine, Belonging To Welbur
Smith, Crushed And Then
BURNED
VICTIMS BADLY DISFIGURED
Believed Morris Was Instructing
Clark In Aviation When Ship
Became Unmanageable

Falling 200 feet in a Curtis;
DNJ plane at Souther Field, Car.
roll ]. Cark, Jr., and ]. w. Morris
were instantly killed Thursday
afternoon. The accident occurred
at 5:l7 o clock, and within a few
minutes after the two men had as
cended for a practice spin. Clark s
watch, found with his body in the
cockpit of the plane and stopped
at 5:l7 established definitely the
exact time the two men met
death. Both bodies were badly
broken up in the fall and further
dishgured by burning. So The plane
belonged to Welbur Smith and was
badly damaged by flames, which
originated when the gasoline tank
exploded at the moment of i'm
pact with the earth.
Killed Instantly.
While it is impossible to definitely
assign the cause of the accident, it
is believed the ship became unman-
ageable while being piloted by Clark,
and before Morris, his instructor,
could right it with constrols struck the
earth. Observers who saw the acci-
dent stated today that the ship went
into a "tail pin" at height of ap-
proximately 200 feet, an exceedingly
dangerous condition at that height.
When found the body of Clark was
strapped in the front seat Of the ma
chine, with that of Morris in the rear,
positions usually assumed by instruc-
tor and pupil, when flyers are being
instructed in aviation.
That both Clark and Morris were
killed instantly is certain. The plane
struck the ground with tremendous
force, ploughing deep hole in the
soft oil where it landed. The force
of the impact is further illustrated by
the fact that hole was knocked in
the ships gasoline tank, which caus-
ed the explosion. This tank, located
directly beneath the cockpit, fell
heavily upon the victims of the crash,
resting when found directly upon the
head of one them.
First news of the deplorable acci-
dent which ended the life of one Of
Americus most promising young bus
mess men, reached the city shortly
after o'clock, and within an hour
the bodies of both victims were
brought to the chape lof the Americus
Undertaking Company and prepared
for burial by Nat LeMaster.
Morris Here S Weeks.
The wrecked plane, borrowed by
Morris, and had been used by him
self and others frequently during the
past few weeks for daily air-spins
Smith, an Americus man, flew
the ship here from Montezuma
Thursday morning, arriving al
1000 a. m. and later the plane was
flown about the aviation field severa,
times by Morris in company witt
his friends. Clark and Morris haC
taken several previous spins together
but had been in the air on their i'll.
fatcd trip only a few minutes waer
the accident occurred.
Morris came to Americus five week
ago from Pittsburg, Pa, in company
with Jas. B Cole, both young men be.
ing intensely interested in aviation
Affable and courteous in manner
both Morris and Cole soon became
popular with numerous Americu,
acquaintances, among whom the new:
of Morris death has created deeI
sorrow. Morris, is said to have learn
ed the art of flying under the in
structoti of Cole since coming tC
Americus. That he lacked training
! as a flyer was indicated, experienced
flyers said today, by his handling
of ship, and tendency to fly unus
ually low. Low altitude flying is
recognized as exceedingly dangerous
and-is never practiced by army avia.
tors, except in cases of necessity, OF
when practicing certain evolutions
such as landing and tal,ing-off. Mr.
Cole, Morris associate, is prostrateG
with grief because of the accident
being confined today to his room al
Continued OH Page Four.)