The Wrangell sentinel., 1924-04-10

Martins). The propeller had been taken off on Saturday and the Boe- ing Aircraft Go. retipped it that might. At 5:45 the propeller was installed and the machine taken again into Lake Washington. The ship was then filled with gas and. after tuning up and finding every thing in good working order. took |off at S:35. The other two ships took off at $50 but No. did not get away. This I found out forty minutes later though I did not know the cause until we arrived at Prince Rupert when I learned that Lieut. Wade had been unable to take off with his load and was compelled to readjust it. He got away at 10:O5. We arrived at Prince Rupert at f 55 and he arrived at 5:25.
 Flying Very Low
 Leaving Seattle under lowering clouds we struck good weather in + uSCt Oouhu anu lhIS 1outluucu lol 2 F hours hours out At Vancouver, we struck low clouds (fog) which drove us right over the surface of the water compelling us to keep further on the lookout to avoid hit ting the masts ofpassing boats. That condition prevailed for two hours. Then we were able to get 400 feet elevation. The weather cleared slightly passing over the north end of the Straits of Georgia and ther
 we struck rain making poor visibil- lity. For two hours we flew at 500 feet elevation with clouds below the mountain tops. Then we ran into lsnow squalls and the three machines drew together. The last snow squall lcame on just as we were enterine Prince Rupert Harbor and it was re- lsponsible for the trouble
 'I located the buoys but the snow
 was so thick that I underestimated the distance. It was too late when perceived that the distance was toe
 short. I tried to give the throttle
 and regain control but there was
 not enough space left so I was com
 pelled to shut off the engine and
 pancake down in order to avoid the
 shore and buildings. The impact or
 striking the water was so great that
 it caused the collapse of the wings
 and the breaking of the struts Repairs Difficult
 "The ship can be repaired, but
 due to the fact that there are only
 the four of its kind built especially
 for this flight, it may be difficult to
 get the parts. If repairs can be eff
 fected here at all, it will be a matter
 of ten days or two weeks before the
 machine can fly again.
 ''I feel the accident very keenly
 It was all my own fault. It was
 caused by erring judgment when
 should have been more particula,
 under the conditions. Eight hour:
 in the air under adverse conditions and entering strange harbor, were
 doubtless, contributory factors.
 never had any trouble before and
 did not realize until it was too late
 that I was getting into this trouble was on the lookout to avoid hit ting a mountain or getting into 8
 place from which I could not extri. cate myself and that was just what happened. I feel as though I had thrown away the greatest opportu- nifty I ever had.
 ''The accident will mean that the
 machines will be here for ten days or two weeks unless we are directed to ship the machine back to the States"
 Major Martin last night wired to Washington for instructions. A re- ply should be received today. The machine was taken out of the water at dry dock this morning and a mi mute inspection is being made to as certain the exact extent of damage. Major Martin, Lieut.. Smith and Lieut.. Nelson followed closely the inside steamboat passage all the way up the coast to Cape Calvert when they went outside. The sea there |after was very rough, and, had the machines been forced down, they would undoubtedly have been wreck led.
 Stating that flying conditions were very poor. Major Martin com plimented his fellow pilots on their good work of staying with the course and negoittiang the trip sue |cessfully. "We always knew where we were and were confident of our ability. We never felt that we were f fakiOo npnocaceary r;vIS and no,or