Evening star., 1924-03-03
ONE KILLED, Z HURT
AS PLANE PLUNGES
INTO RIVER HERE
Navy Craft SpIintered by Ter
rifle Force of Crash After
Losing Pontoon.
INJURED AIDE CLINGS
TO BODY OF DEAD PILOT
Boatswain A. F. Dietrich. Test
Flyer, Victim-0thers Ex-
pected to Recover.

Boatswain A. +. Dietrich, one Of
the best known pilots in the Navy.
was killed and two enlisted men bad
ly injured shortly before noon today
when heavy seaplane they Were
testing plunged in the Anacostia
river just off the War College.
Dietrich died after one of hi9
Observation-Disclosures Mate William T.
Morris-risked his life trying to save
him and surrendered the officer to his
! fate only after he fell unconscious
from exhaustion and loss of blood.
Machinists Mate George L. Cenq
Mars. the other occupant of the plane
was less seriously injured.
Was Landing Craft.
The crash occurred while Dietrich,
handling the control sticks, was in the
act of landing. He. accompanied by
Cenq Mars and Morris, had hoped off
an hour before to test out the boat.
Ia large Douglas bomber, equipped
with special cockpit out on one
wing for the observer.
Cenq-Mars was in the pit on the wing.
and that alone is believed to account for
: y
occupied the forward cockpit and Nor
riS the after pit. Below the plane was
suspended LOO bomb. The object
| of the flight was to test the newly in
stalled observers pit on the wing.
Witnesses estimated that Dietrich at
tempted to land at speed of 100 miles
an hour.
Instead of striking the water with
| the back Of his pontoons he crashed
into it head-on and the big pontoon.
crunpled The next instant the shiI,
! was seen to break virtually in twn.
| exactly amidshipS.
Held Pilots Body.
! Speed boats were rushed IL th.:
scene, and the first to arrive picked
F. up Cenq Mars, floating in the rive
! in his pit. 1t had been hurled cora
| pletely through the wing by the tet-
rife impact. Norris was straddlinS
/ We floating fusilage. holding des-
! perately to ~" clothing of the un-
! conscious boatswain Dietrich.
/ As the rescue ship came alongside
| Morris collapsed. his hold was re
! leased on Dietrich and the latter
sank from sight.
| Search of the wreckage on the
spot failed to disclose his body and
| it was believed he had f1oated clear
! towed back to the seawall Of the
| naval station anu dragged partiy'
ashore. As the smashed fusilag.
was dragged clear the body of Diet
| rich was seen crumpled up in the
| cockpit.
/ His neck had been broken and il
| is believed he was dead at the time
! Morris made his game but fulfil.
! fight to save his shipmate's life. His
| body was removed to the post hos
pital to await official action. Morris
| and Cenq- Mars also We're taken to
| the hospital While both are ex-
pected to recover. they were suffer
| ing considerably from shock and Sc
we're cuts. Morris had lost consid-
cradle blood and ii is believed he
will be confined to sick bay for sone
| time.
| Although no official statement
| could be made by officers at thu
! naval air station pending the inquiry
| of a board of investigation, severa'
/ witnesses said they believed Diet
| rich must have experienced some en-
| gine trouble. He was seen to lane
| at terrific speed apparently with his
+, engine open. He was regarded a2
| too old an officer to have attempted
| such A landing.
He was one of the oldest officers
! at the station and was a master OF
| the NC boats. the type that completed
! the first transatlantic flight. In fact.
! he was at one time mentioned for =
place in one of the four ships Sc
! lected to make the crossing. His
| home was at the Van Cortlandt apart
ments, 14th street and Belmont road
| He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Bes-
sic V. Dietrich, and a son.
| Morris home is in New York cit!
and Cenq-Mars' home in Providence.
! r. l. The accident created a pro
| found sensation at the naval air sta
ton. and is the first fatal crash there
since the station was established.