Evening star., 1926-11-25
BOTH PLANES FAIL
0NPANAMA HOP
Fuel Exhaustion Forces One
Down and Second Breaks
Feed Pipe.
By the Associated Press.

Dy lLo ASSOCldtCu lono'
Once more the Navy has been
thwarted just short Of success in the
effort to drive its long-distance sea-
planes farther than man has ever
gone in such craft without stop
ping.
AS in the case Of the late Comdr.
John Rodgers record breaking flight
last year with a PN-9 machine. its
latest attempt with two PN-10 planes
also fell short. happily, of disaster.
With Colon, Canal Zone, 1850
miles away, as their objective, the
PN-1o Nos, and 2. manned by
brilliant crews. left Norfolk, Va, late
Tuesday. Plane No. 2, In charge Of
Lieut.. Comdr. II. T. Bartlett, the
flight commander, was forced down
by fuel exhaustion 1885 miles
away at Nueva Corona, Isle Of Pines.
No. /, developing fabrication trouble,
proceeded 213 miles further before
broken oil feed pipe compelled it
to come down III the Caribbean.
Flight to Be Finished.
Comdr Bartlett, after replenish- =
Ing his gasoline supply, will finish
the fight. Whether the other ma
chine, in charge of Lieuts. Byron J.
Connell and Lawrence w. Curtin, will
proceed to Colon remains to be de-
termined.
Both planes fell short Of Comdr
Rodgers record OF 1,841 miles, es-
tablished when fuel exhaustion
blocked his attempt in September,
1925, to reach Hawaii, and started a
Il fhof 10 Cfo6 a a
over q wide expanse Of silent waters
before he was found.
A similar situation threatened to de-
velop in the Caribbean last night,
when the PN-10 No. ! had been miss
ing Ii hours and a half. but as mid
night approached the Navy's anxiety
was relieved by a report from the
cruiser Cincinnati that she picked up
the plane 2o miles off it's course at
9:35 and was standing by. She was
ordered to tow the plane to the most
convenient port.
"A Vessels in Search.
TWenty-four naval vessels in Cen
trail American waters meanwhile had
been placed at the disposal Of Capt.
r. l.. Johnson Of the Cincinnati to con-
duct a search for the missing plane
when the passage Of time without
word had erased the Navy Depart
ment's last hope that it would reach
Colon. Such Of these vessels as had
started to join the search will re-
sumo their duties and the guardian
ships stationed along the fight
course between the Isle of Pines and
Colon will resume their stations for
the hop to be made by the PN-10
No when 1t receives the fuel being
taken TO 1t by the cruiser Raleigh.
Comdr. Bartlett's mishap apparently
lacked the thrills that befell the other
plane. for after landing at Nueva
Corona he was able to obtain enough
fuel tor proceed to Siguana Bay to
await tho Raleigh. Although pre-
vented from establishing the distance
record he sought, he viii be able to
make q technical report OF the fight,
its other objective, which is expected
to prove Of great value.
Storm Reports Add to Fear.
While search for Lieut.. Connell's
plane was proceeding, and it appeared
likely that it might have to be con-
ttnued today, anxiety here was height.
ened somewhat by reports from the
Weather Bureau that a storm was
likely to blow up in the Caribbean,
with moderate to fresh northeast
winds.
Little fear was entertained for the
safety Of the crew, however. for all
were experienced men, and Cornell
himself had gained training seem.
ingly designed to At him for precisely
such an experience by serving as a
pilot on Comdr. Rodgers plane in the
Pacific venture
With Connell and Curtin were Skiles
r. Pope, another Navy aviation pilot
who shared that adventure, and John
r. Roe. radio man. Comdr. Bartlett's
crew included Lieuts. Clarence H,
Schildhauer and Herbert C. Rodd, and
Charles J. Sutter, machinist's mate.