Evening star., 1927-04-17
BYRD AND BENNETT
ARE INJURED WHEN
PLANE OvERTURNS
FokkeT, Designer, and Radio
Operator Also Hurt in
Landing Accident.
M0N0PLANE BEING TRIED
FOR ATLANTIC FLIGHT
Trip to Paris Had Been Planned
for May Faces
Lengthy Disability.
BY the Associate Press.

BY the Associate Press,
IIACKENSACk, N. J.. April 16--
Coming to unexpected grief after an
hours trial spin, the monoplane Amer
lea, in which Comdr. Richard +. Byrd
planned a nonstop flight from New
York to Paris, turned over at Has
brouck Heights this afternoon, injur-
ing Comdr Byrd, Floyd Bennett. his
pilot: Lieut.. George Q, Neville. radio
man, and Anthony Fokker. the air.
plane designer.
"NovilIe received serious internal
injuries and was unconscious for sew
eral hours. Bennett suffered broken
arm, leg and collar bone, Both were
taken directly TO the Hackensack
Hospital. Byrd received a fractured
wrist, while F'okker escaped with
scarcely a scratch Byrd endeavored
to set his wrist himself while on the
field, but was taken to the hospital
for medical attention later.
Plane Had Landed.
Between inquiries for the safety of
his "shipmates. Coindr. Byrd ex-
planned that the crash came after the
plane had landed after an unsched-
uled trial spin at the invitation of
Fokker. The tail of the craft persist.
ed in rising as II sped along a run
way, and after about 100 yards turned
over, crushing Bennett against the en-
gine.
The plane was not much damaged
and can be repaired speedily, 1t was
said at Hasbrouck Heights.
The accident will cause indefinite
~
TO attempt to fly from New York to
Paris under the auspices of the
America Transoceantc Co, of which
Rodman Wanamaker is president
The company was organized In 1914
with an ultimate transatlantic flight
as its objective.
Bennett to BE Laid Up.
It was said at the hospital that
Bennett'st injuries would keep him
from the air indefinitely, and that
Comdr. Byrd would be unable to use
idts wrist for six weeks.
Tentative plans called for the "hop"
across the Atlantic Ocean In May.
Three of the men injured in today's
accident figured I'm the first airplane
flight over the North Pole. Comdr.
Byrd led the expedition, and Floyd
Bennett was then, as now, his pilot
The expedition was successfully car
ried out in a Fokker plane.
In the proposed transatlantic flight
the three,motored Fokker was to have
been used with Comdr. Byrd In com.
mand and Bennett in his accustomed
place by Byrd's side as pilot. Neville,
q native of Cleveland and former Co
umbia University student, was as.
signed the radio duties incident TO
the trip.
Retired for Disability.
Comdr. Byrd. who was promoted to
his present rank as a result OF his
fight to the North Pole from Spitz-
bergen last Spring. is of an old Vir.
gtnia family and brother of Harry
Flood Byrd, Governor of the State
AT II years of age the future maker
of air history persuaded his mother
TO permit him to go to the Philippines
on visit to an old friend, and made
the long trip and return before he
was ID. After being graduated FROM
the Naval Academy he was retired
from active service for disability when
he drove nail through his foot, but
he continued in service although nom
inally retired. In 1922 special act
of Congress promoted him TO the rank
Of lieutenant commander, a grade he
would have attained had he not been
in nominal retirement.
When Mcmillan went to Greenland
in 1925 Byrd went as fight com.
mander of the expedition. and with
Floyd Bennett few 5000 miles.
FolSker Is Native OF Holland.
AS a result of this work he deter.
mined on q fight TO the North Pole
and set out for SpitzenbergeE last
year. He used a Fpkker plane, and
in a i6-hour fight on May 9 he went
to the North Pole and returned.
Bennett is g. native Of New York,
having been born at Warrensburg in
1890. He enlisted in the Navy in 1917,
qualified as pilot in 1920 and soon
began his association with Byrd,
which has continued TO the accident
this afternoon. in which they were both
hurt. He was second in command in
the Arctic flight, as he was to have
been in the transa tlantic venture.
F'okker is a native Of Holland and
came TO America IN 1928 10 design air
planes after successes in Europe.
Hit Soft Earth.
Capt. Harry A. Bruno, an official at
the Teterboro Airport, home of the
Fokker enterprises at HasbrCuelt
Heights. said tonight that the acci.
dent occurred within 400 yards of the
planes hangar when it struck soft
spot in the ground while taxing along
the runway after a perfect landing.
The. plane tipped UP on its nose,
then over on its back, he explained,
bending one of the metal propellers
and driving one of the three motors
out of place, After cursory inspee.
| ton Of the damage, Mr.. Fokker said
the plane could be reconditioned for
| flight within four days, Capt. Bruno
| stated.
| The accident came at the end Of an
| hours tests for climbing, speed and
| control, in which the new plane func-