Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-03
FIVE FACE DEATH
AS STORM SWEEPS
D|R|C|BLE SKyWARD
Four of Los Angeles Ground
Crew Hang to Sides: Fifth
Drops 20 Feet.
MO0RlNG LINE BREAKS
WHEN TIED TO MAST
Aircraft Rides Out Wind and Is
Safely Landed-Ends 4.000-Mile
Trip to Panama.
By the Associated Press.

safely into her hangar at am today
completing a 4.0oo-mile round-trip flight
to Panama.
Four sailors who had the terrifying
experience of dangling from the hand
rails of the giant dirigble Los Angeles
400 feet in the air while the big ship
bucked and tossed In a buffeting wind
scuall were safely back in barracks.
They were George L. Smith, men,
Der of the ships crew; r. H. Dilks, E
W. Kirkpatrick and D. N. Lipke. men,
bers of the ground crew. A fifth man.
B. S. Papinsky, who jumped to the
ground when the Los Angeles was 20
feet in the air, was in the sick bay
with Sprained leg.
Failed to Hear Command.
The five men had been helping with
400 others in An effort TO haul the ship
into its hangar when a snow sQuall
rose, lifted the oxrigible from the earth
and swept her into the air.
They had not heard an officer bark
the command to let go the handrails of
the 6irigible, and when the ship shot
upward they were still clinging to the
rail
When the ship had risen 90 feet.
&Sk ~ olbPPIA. he ~SO
=. feet, the four men still hanging on
were hauled through the cabin VIM
dows directly over their heads. They
were safe and sound when the ship was
finally walked" into her hangar.
Wreck Feared for Time.
When the squalI came the big airship
quickly disappeared in the storm, and
fear that she might meet the same fate
hn ~ co1 ~
members IF the ground crew, which had
almost succeeded in walking her into the
hangar when the storm swept down.
Forty-three men were aboard her, the
largest crew she had carried since her
fight 10 this country from Germany.
Shortly before $50 am, however,
when the snow had cleared and the
wind had died down her siivery hulk ap-
peared against the Frightening Eastern
horizon. and half an hour later she had
nosed down TO the field ana been slowed
safely away In her hangar.
Condr. c. f. Rosendahl first brought
the Los Angeles over her home field at
li:z0 last night after a 37-hour fight
from Guacanayabo Bay, Cuba, where
she had stopped on her return trip
. from Panama.
Mooring Line Carried Away.
She nosed slowly down TO the field.
but the 30-mile wind that was blowing
was too much for her main mooring
line which carried away, and she was
forced 10 take TO the air again.
The cir1g1ble cruiSed slowly over the
fed Tor some time waiting luil in the
wind. On1nous clouds piling up in the
southwest decided the commander TO
attempt q landing before the storm
broke
Working franticaliy, the ground crew
which included every available man al
the station. had her nearly 70 the doors
Of the big hangar when the snow, riding
hard on a0-nile an hour wind. swept
down.
The big ship was tossing In the GRASP
q the men fighting 10 pull her ahead
ana the order was given TO cast OFF
The five n1en who were carried up with
her were on the opposite side from tbs
cabin door and it was feared those in
side might not be able TO pull them u
safety.
Officers Left on Ground.
The sudden storm and the decision u
make the ascent left four Of the dirig.
3Dles of!lcerS who had made the trip u
the Caribbean on the ground where
they had been directing the work o.
IRE men attempting 70 put her In ths
hangar.
The big airsiip left her hangar here
Sunday. February 2g, and 40 hours latel
AaG anchored " temporary mast a
France F!eld, Panama Canal Zone 2.20t
miles away, After a stay O! IL hours
there che TOOK Of for Ouacanayatk
Bay. Cuba where she MAS 10 anchor U
the naval airahip tender PaUoka. Bat.
ting strong nea0WlnGs across tbs
. Caribbean, the b,ok rs hours for ths
T1i-mile fight and the task u anchor
.xg ~ the ships short mast.
Delayed by adverse weather on hfl
departure for hong, she did not cas-
Of from the FaD,ka until 10 80 Thurs
Gay morning for her ielaureiy figh
home.
She lad u BUCK strong head~indi
firm Charleston, Is G.. which sloWee
her s;p7eo and made the flying time Oh
TIE 4Q9-fnlle Trip 81 noufs. The fy-
3gsg time on her hDmeWa!d fight MOI
counting tie ~ hours coiiH1hnec IL
Landing %as IS ~ ~ more than hei
4.}gGI " Panama,
Followed Inian Course.
On hes fight up tne Atlantic Coas
she followed a more ifljnHc cpJfh1; thar
III her 0sjHANaTc JylTfey, being sighted
~ seye!a3 cpAat CITIES Her fight f>p1ts
taac been almost entirely 0Vef water b.
kne iaeszGsa our into tiIe Atlantic afbe
leaylng Rev 1pfk Def0ff selling he
t43slFse fot The Canal Zpi}e.
The successful cptnpletiJn ~ mel
training cruise ~ pseI 1900 mile
f4arkE6 The seGDI4c achievement III In
Las kflge5ea within t8y months IN
January "a sile landed un tii= aifcraf
c@ff4cr Saratoga ~ bea, "a teht neYs
befDse accomplished w Z dulaibir Ihi
ga& " prove Tie pfactieabllhy ~ ff
t3fling aIgsiIjDs II SEA and i!ei piFseii
rlYht III aii borta III Weather proves hs
DURABILITY
CynlGf. ttpSeudahI hiss cialinkulahs'
TtetJfG tf} sylatl1n, he Tak The snfFiF
34sg ranking Dlf1cef III the t:beAaHdpah
Kisjch tel }ii ii storm over Ctsto IN IJ2a
Just Another Successful Trip"
NE { ,1g0-r4ile crtssbe III tie III
Iaecles HAs gust "snolher successful
banning tylp" ~ Coudr. IcJbendShJ,
HE only tiJfliiE ] got out III IA
4}.pie tt)p." iie told Tie kaaDcists
i,trss bsGAy atryu after The big Ai!iD va
s'siy j13 rs t4bHkbf. "@tfs VI tie Etat
go Ills f3IlfH fsrtHteH ttUlfs u Ma
e. PHEASANT ii cruise - ahyfSsGy coiii
hNii
- fht staf' Ne y4ad apn'e tpIbl
Ax~.taA4sea Ga 4sxs <. Column ~