Imperial Valley press., 1924-07-28
1 KILLED WHEN
AIRPLANE, DREAM
OF. YEARS, DROPS
II, United Press Leased Wire


Los ANGELES, July - Arouni
2 HaNs of jumbled wrechage near
the southern edge Of the city
corps Of aviation experts gathered
to-day 10 decide definitely on 'hr
rau>e uf the accident which 'Htr
Yesterday afternoon snuftrd uui thr
lives of family of three aad %
pilo; seven minutes after they Nr"l
into the air.
- The California, dream of OS-
mond T. Belcher. 30, au acrouautlra
inventor, is broken TO pieces. In
different morgue9 Throughout the
city are the bodies of Bc.thcf, hls
wife. Esther, -, their son. OSmond
Jr., 9, and Burgess Crcrgl, -', vet
eran pilot
The-~rffplane, u monopiauc of rev
.s+fTfiouary constructions, plunged To
the ground from a height of nearly
30u feet seven minutes after II
took off on its first public eXlibi
tion, with thousands of spectators
and friends of lhe.designer aud pilot
below.
Twice around the field Creeth
guided the pane, gaining elevation
each foot of the way. Then the
craft was seen to pause, to sudder,
and apparently collapse on one side.
A defectiye aileron, observers be
lieyed. In sickening tail spin
THE California came 10 the
ground, speeded i'll its fall 10y the
lao miles an hour velocity with
which it was hurtins through the
air ar instant before. Twice it turn
ed completely over, then struck the
ground with Il crash audible q mile.
The occupants were killed ins'aat-
lv. physicians said. Three of the
bodies were thrown clear of the
wreckage. while The heavy motor
was found 80 feet away from the
plane.
Yesterdays disaster brought a .
tragic climax to Belcher's dream
of revolutionizing aviation with a I
new type monoplane for passenger .
service. During the war, while in +
strUctor at North Island, san Diego
he conceived the idea of a craft .
without struts or wire supports, /
made Of thin wooden strips, woven
together as a basket is made.
Calmination OF Years Work
After the armistice, he started de
veloping his dream. The work was
slow. as Belcher WAS without means
and tile first plane wouId cost more
than $4,000 He interested local
capital and Went ahead with ms
labors.
The trial exhibition was the eul-
of his years of devotion /
to his idea, Thousands of friends /
and business men. notified of the
event by prettily guided invita-
tions sent out by the company
Belchcr had formed, were gathered
at the field to witness the flight.
This machine is in first class I
I'm going up with IT. +
and il comes down, / want TO be !
with it, too, Belcher told rela- ,
tives mst before the air journey /
His wife and child express
pd a similar desire, and so certain
was Belchcr of his plane S security /
he bundlcd them into the spacious,
upholstered interior Of the Pullman
.oach. and motioned for Creeth to
axe off.
No blame fo the accident is
.harged to fhe pilot. Creeth was
IN air service aviator and has been
loine commercial flying ever since
he war.
Jimmy Murphy, automobile racer,
the pane be1ore the trip
started and was invited by Belcher
10 join the party. 1t was believed !
for some time after the crash that ,
Murphy had been a victim of the |
disaster. Flying field officials gave !
out that information, which was !
ater disproyed.