Evening star., 1925-08-24
CAPT. FRASER HALE
AND AIDE KILLED
Plane Crashes at Resort.
Engine StaIIing, Not Blast,
Is Blamed.

Capt. Fraser Hale, supply officer of
Boiling Field, White House aide and
nationally known golfer. and his
mechanic, Pvt. Earl c. Norris, of the
18th Headquarters Squadron, Boiling
Field, were instantly killed, and their
bodies burned beyond recognition yes
terday afteronon in an airplane crash
at White Sulphur Springs, w. Va.
Capt. Hale and Pvt. Norris had
flown to White Sulphur Springs Sat
urday afternoon, where the officer
was the guest of Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas
B. Paine of Atlanta, Ga. About .
o'clock yesterday afternoon he took
off, and as the plane climbed into the
air it was seen to turn and plunge to
the Greenbriar golf links and burst
into flames. The flames and intense
heat held off physicians and rescurers,
and the bodies were burned beyond
recognition.
Reports from the scene of the crash.
which was witnessed by several of
Capt. Hale's friends and scores of
golfers on the links, said the engine
exploded. but Air Service officers here,
even without official information, de-
clared emphatically that such could
not have been the case. The plane
was a De Haviland and was fitted with
Liberty motor. These officers, both
at Boiling Field, and the Air Service
headquarters declared in their flying
experience they never have known a
Liberty engine to explode.
Think Plane Stalled.
While admitting the exact cause of
the crash may never be known, from
experience in crashes occurring on the
take-off, they firmly believe the plane
stalled on the turn Capt. Hale is re.
ported to have made, which caused
the craft to lose flying speed and drop
out of control. This stall, the pilots
unanimously agreed, was due to cut
ting out" the motor, which reduced
its power below the lifting point. The
plane also was very heavy, being load
ed with baggage, in addition to the
passengers, and also carrying n 1856
gallon gasoline tank; and when the
flying speed was lost, with no altitude
to assist the occupants in jumping
with their -parachutes, the heaVy craft
fell as a dead weight.
On arrival at White Sulphur
Springs Saturday afternoon, Capt.
Hale attended the horse show and
the horse show ball at the Green
briar Hotel that night. He spent the
night at the cottage of Mr.. and Mrs.
Paine and, accompanied by several
friends, went to his plane, which was
parked on one of the fairways of the
golf course across Howard Creek.
The plane was seen to rise from the
ground to the height of about n hun
dred feet, turn and drop to the
ground with a heavy thud. A cloud
of smoke was seen Immediately after
the plane fell. DR.. d. Stuart, one of
the chief surgeons at Bellevue Hos
pital. and DR.. Burdette p. Craig, both
of New York and DR.. Bankhead
Banks of White Sulphur Springs
rushed TO the scene. but were unable
to render assistance.
When news of the fatal accident
was received by the Air Service,
Can't. Otto Trunk, adjutant of Boil
ing Field, communicated with Capt.
HaIe's parents. Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
r. Hale of Winnetka, ILL.,, who will
arrive in Washington either tonight
or tomorrow. Capt. Trunk left by
train Immediately to take charge of
the bodies.
Funeral Plans Delayed.
Funeral arrangements have not been
completed, and are being held In
abeyance until the arrival of the Of
ficer's parents.
Mai. NJ f. Harmon, commanding
Boiling Field, said the body of Capt
Hale will be brought to Washington
tomorrow and interment undoubtedly
would be in Arlington National Gene
terry Capt. Trunk was to communi-
cate with Pvt. Norris parents at
Whitesvifle, KY, and recommend that
he be buried in Arlington.
Capt. Hale was born in Parkhill,
Ontario, February 4, 1898. He was
CONTINUED. on Pager2. Column Al