Evening star., 1927-04-26
NOEL DAVIS KILLED
WITH WOOSTER IN
CRASH OF PLANE
Final Test of American Le-
gion Prior to Ocean
Flight, Fatal.
BOTH FLYERS DROWNED
IN FEW FEET OF WATER
Land in Marsh and Are Trapped
When Craft Noses Into Mud
and Turns Over.
BH tho AssocIatcd press.


NEWPORT NEWS, Va, April
26.---Licut. Corndr. Noel Davis and
Lieut. s. III. Wooster, naval ayiators,
We're killed today in a forced landing
Of the giant biplane American
Legion in which they planned to at
tempt nonstop New Yorktoparis
fight. They were on the last of the
test flights planned for the big craft
before it was taken to New York for
the proposed transatlantic dash for
the Orteig prize of $25 900 for the first
such trip. Accounts Of the accident
differ.
The giant three-engine plane, with q.
load of II 900 pounds. took to the air
at Langley Field this morning for a
cross country load test. Comdr. Davis
had expected some trouble in getting
the plane off the ground with the
heavy load, but once the machine had
taken the air little difficulty was an
ticipated. The take.off, officers at
Langley Field stated, was perfect The
craft rose high in the air and straight
ened ont for the cross-country trip. 1T
moved slowly under the staggering i'm.
post and suddenly, all agree, appar-
emily developed engine trouble.
Plane Turns Over.
Col G.. G.. Culver. commanding Off
Ger at Langley Field, said the airmen
brought the craft toward the earth
and made a nice landing. They came
down, however. i'm a mud marsh COW
cred by several feet of water, and as
the machine started through this her
nose was buried in the mud and water
and the craft turned completely over.
Comdr. Davis and Lieut.. Wooster, al.
ternate pilot on the proposed trans
atlantic fight, were strapped in their
seats.
They were drowned, Col. Culver
stated before they could be extricated.
W. r. Forrest, a Messick fisherman
and The only witness of the actual
crash said he was standing So close
ta where the American Legion buried
herself that he was forced To jump TO
escape 7eIng crushed. He said he saw
the craft moving slowly at low alti-
tude and then so into nose dive,
The nose re the craft burrONed deep
into the uiIagmire.
Col Culver declared the American
Legion made a perfect landing and
that its engines were cut off when the
craft stuck In the mud. The central
engine was buried several feet be-
meath the soft mud and the cockpit
In which the airinen We're trapped was
completely flooded An investigation
was started soon after the accident
by Army and Navy authorities. but
the findings will not he made public
here. it was stated. They win be sub
n1itted to the departments in Wash
ingten.
Rescue Efforts Fail.
Airplanes from Langley Field
which We're in the air at the time
sped To the disabled craft, while row.
boats set out from the air station and
from Messick, and an ambulance
dashed to the scene over a round
about road. Meantime. Forrest tried
to get the airn1en out Of the
wreckage, but made little headway,
and, although the rescue parties
reached the scene in a few minutes,
both flyers were dead when extri-
Gated.
The bodies Of Comdr. Davis and
Lieut., Wooster were brought to
Langley Field, and later were sent
by seaplane to the naval hospital at
Portsmouth.
Reports at Langley Field stated
that the American Legion was not
badly damaged, but word from Mes
sick was that it was a complete
wreck and that parties from Langley
Field are endeavoring to get it's
remains out of the marsh.'
Comdr. Davis planned to return to
Langley Field about noon from the
flight that was intended to test the
load capacity of the big craft. He
had expected some trouble in getting
the plane into the air with the heavy
load, but once the machine had left
pected.
Mrs. Davis. who has been visiting
friends at Langley Field while her
! husband tested the American Legion,
was severely shocked by the news
| Of the accident.
Proud of Machine.
Comdr. Davis yesterday spoke
with pride Of the performance of the
machine which he has been testing
| at Langley Field for the past few
weeks. lie said.
We are almost ready to get away
| now, but there is no hurry about the
| trip. We want TO have everything
| in our favor and I think the May
| fuH moon will give us favorable
weather.
| "All the tests made with the ma
chine have been perfect. have never
| piloted a better plane. ] and my
| companions and other officers at
| Langley Field have been particularly
| pleased with the manner in which the
| plane gets up when loaded.
| Some OF us had feared that when
| the machine was loaded to capacity,
/ as she will be when we start on our
| long flight, a large field would be
| necessary for her TO get up. The
| contrary has been proven.
| 1.-THE machine rises in less space
| than is required for some smaller
! planes. 1t is the best mechanical bird
| have ever seen and + believe we
win make the flight to Paris with
! few difficulties"