Evening star., 1927-04-13
John L. HoSch, Companion of
Aid to Assistant Aeronau-
tics Secretary, Hurt.
CRAFT GOES INTO TAIL
SPIN 200 FEET IN AIR
Ship Swerves at Sharp Turn, Rolls
Over Three Times and Burics
Nose in Ground.

Homer r. Sands, administrative
assistant to William =. McCracken.
jr., Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for AeronautiCs. was killed instantly.
and John l.. Hosch. an aeronautical
engineer in the air regulations divi-
sion of the Department of Commerce.
was seriously injured when their air
plane crashed between the old steel
plant at Giesboro Point and the south
end of Boiling Field today.
Both men were Reserve officers in
the Army Air Corps and were flying
an Army training plane of the Curtiss
JN type at an altitude of about 200
feet, when. on making a sharp turn,
it fell into a tailspin. made three turns
and crashed on it's nose, burying the
engine in the ground.
Removed Dead From Wreck.
When rescuers from Boiling Field
reached the scene, Sands was dead, and
Hosch was found to be seriously in
jured. The latter was placed i'm po-
lice patrol and rushed to Walter Reed
Hospital, where he was taken TO the
emergency room for an examination
to determine the extent of his injuries
There were found to be laceratiOns
about the head and face, with possible
skull fracture.
Sands, who was 81 years old. lived
at apartment 102, 1424 Sixteenth
street, and was appointed to his posi-
ton in Mr.. MacCracken's office Octo-
ber 8. Hosch lives at 2121 II street
and has been in the aerOnautics
branch of the department since the
first of this year.
l. To
morning in the capacity of Army re-
serve officers to make practice flights.
Mai. w. G. Kilner. executive officer
of the Army Air Corps, who was in
the air returning from Pope Field.
Fort Bragg, n. c., saw the training
plane make a sharp left turn just
south of Boiling Field which he esti-
mated was at an altitude of about 200
feet.
Immediately the plane nose turned
and the wings made three complete
turns, revolving around the fuselage.
The low altitude of the two airnen
made use of their parachutes an inn
possibility, as, witnesses said, scarce
" had the plane fallen into the ma
neuver when it struck the ground
with force. It did not catch fire.
Sands Held Captains Rank.
Sands held the rank of captain in
the Air Corps. while Hosch is rated
as a lieutenant. Capt. Sands was
born in Fargo. n. ID. He entered
the Army flying branch nearly 10
years ago, and was graduated from
the School of Military Aeronautics.
He also was a graduate of the Uni
versity Of Illinois Ground School and
of the engineering school at McCook
Field, Dayton, Ohio. Capt. Sands
came here from Fargo.
Lieut.. Hosch is an inspector in the
air regulations division of the depart
ment, a duty involving the eXamina-
ton of civilian aircraft to determine
whether their flying ability IS worthy
Of the Government license. lie re-
ceived his flying training in the Air
Corps at San Antonio ani was an in
structor in aviation for a period.
Lieut.. Hosch received a bachelor Of
science degree from the Massachu-
setts Institute Of Technology, study
ing under Edward p. Warner. Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy for Avia-
ton, who then was an instructor at
that institution. Hosch is 25 years
old.