The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-07-16
SMITH, BR0NTE
PLUNGE INTO
ISLAND TREE
Win HOnOrs as First Civilians
to Make Trip From
California
PLANE Is WRECkE ID
Army AviatOrs Take Pair in
Triumph to Honolulu
Gas Supply Short
PLANE Is WRECKED

Honolulu, July 16-LP-Having
completed their uncertain flight to
Hawaii by deliberately plunging in
to kaiwe trees on the Island of Mo-
lokai, Ernest L. Smith and Emory b.
Bronte, explained as they. rested in
Honolulu after reaching their goal
today. why their radio was silentsfor
five hours after they sent out SOS
calls and why they continued on 10
terra firma without informing rescue
ships that they still were in the air.
Antennae Hits Ground
When still 500 miles or more from
land. Bronte revealed, the failure of
their gasoline pump led them to be-
ileve their fuel was running ex-
tremely low, and it caused the plane
to lose so much altitude that their
trailing wireless antennae struck the
sea and was torn away.
The decrease in altitude had the
effect of resuscitating the gasoline
pump and they shot up into the air
again and headed for land without
knowing how long they would last,
without knowing whether their calls
had been heard and uncertain of
their bearings.
Find Tanks Dry
Navy flyers announced they had
salvaged the motor and Instruments
from the wrecked plane and had
found her gasoline tanks absolutely
dry.
When the initial excitement and
confusion had disappeared, Smith
and Bronte had distinguished them
selves as being the first civilians to
fly from California to Hawaii. They
had won battle with unfavorable
weather, perverse luck and all the
natural odds that flyers face in
crossing the sea with land planes.
They had outsmarted fate by diving
into the tree when their last drop
OF gasoline had been used. forestail-
, ing the possibility of being pinned
beneath their plane in an upset.
| From the time they left the Gold
en- Gate at 11:0S a. M, Thursday, un-
It'll they were near their destination.
they saw neither, .lsnd nor ,.sea.
| Deluded by Mirages
Several times Smith reported see
ing stretches of LAND" tempting
enough for the exhausted flyers to
alight upon, but the sights were only
lilusions-mirages cast upon the
clouds and fog by the light of the
moon.
uC Vi lUeJT trouble came
| about 5:15 a. M. Honolulu time
/. (Honolulu time is 2l2 hours behind
Pacific time and 6Ea hours behind
eastern daylight saving time). At
that moment they sent out their
first sos. after having concluded
they had only enough gasoline to
stay in the air another hour. They
presumably were about 700 miles
from Honolulu and 500 miles from
the nearest land.
I'VE are going to land in the sea.
We have rubber lifeboat, but send
help several ships reported them
as saying.
Rush to Rescue
| Three steamers, the liner Wilhelm
ina. the army transport kenowis and
the steamer President Pierce, turned
off their courses almost Immediately
and rushed to their aid Less than
80 minutes later, they sent out
new call for help! estimating their
gasoline supply sufficient to last
them four hours. The plea for as
sistance was continued.
Soon the Wilhemina wireles ssed
that the plane Rad settled to the wa
ter and that the ship supposedly was
about 80 miles from it. All radio
stations were silenced in the hope
that further word would come from
the monoplane's radio. None came
Visions of possible disaster forced
the ships toward the spot at full
speed. Then there was u long ST.
lence.
Word of their forced landing at
Moloka at 9:46 a. M, Honolulu time,
was then flashed into Honolulu.
Rescuers turned back on their course
and army planes left from Wheeler
field near here to take them off the
leper island and bring them in tri-
umph to Honolulu.
Goes 2,34O Miles
! The little monoplane, City of Oak
land. which had been grOomed for
weeks in anticipation of her over
seas flight, was virtually demolished.
The plane was in the air 25 hours
and SO minutes, during which she
travelled about 2,34O miles. Smith
hopes to salvage the engine, but no
more
Still so miles from their destina-
tion, Smith and Bronte wirelessed
Captain Lowell H. Smith of round the
world flight fame, now stationed at
Wheeler field. Because Smith was
absent when the message arrived, it
lay unread for nearly two hours,
while thousands were wondering
what had become Of the City of Oak
LAND.
Once their fate became known.
army planes came to their aid and
brought them to Wheeler field.