Evening star., 1928-05-22

rissey instantly was lost from view, al
though the roar of his engine could be
heard distinctly. Elliott said after q
few moments he heard louder roar,
indicating to him that the engine was
turning over at a high speed and the
plane probably was In dive. This de-
creased In volume, only to be followed
by an even louder roar. Then 1t was
abruptly terminated.
In the meantime residents of Sandston,
wakened by the roar of the engine.
rushed outdoors. and saw the planes
lights speeding toward the earth. When
found the planes engine and nose was
buried four feet In the ground, and In
the pilots hand was claSped q flash
light.
Landing Blocked Here.
Treat took of from Philadelphia
last night on time with a clear course
predicted for him. As he passed over
Baltimore and headed for Washington,
the visibility became thicker and low
er and on reaching the Capital he
found all lapdmarks on the ground
"AIl I oouid see was faint reflection
OF some lights Through the clouds and
fog" Treat told The Star today. II
knew couldn't get down under those
conditions and recalled that shortly
after leaving Baltimore ! had seen sew
eral holes In the fog and clouds. So
! turned around and started for Logan
Field, tust outside OF Baltimore, when
over what I found out later to b.
Sykesville ] ran out OF gas"
In the black, foggy night. Treat de-
cided to get the plane down rather
than abondon it and take TO the para
chute. With dead engine he headed
for earth, not knowing what was in
store for him. A hundred or so feet
above the ground his wing head lights
played upon the rough field. and skill
fully floating" his ship In at the mini
mum flying speed he made contact
with the earth. But as the plane struck
at speed Of more than 40 miles an
| hour a wheel collapsed and as the little
'Mailwing" swung around, a portion
| OF the propeller was broken of.
Eniisting the services OF q nearby
resident Treat and the mail we're driven
to Washington, where II arrived one
| hour late. 1t was placed on train
and sent southwark. while the mail In
Morrissey's plane was recovered and
sent North by the same agency. This
morning Treat and George e. Cham
| bliss, local representative of Pitcairn,
took an extra propeller and wheel out
TO Eykesviile and this afternoon Treat
planned TO take-on for Hadley Field,
New Brunswick, N. j., the northern
terminal Of the route. Pilot A. M.
Banks will bring the mail through to-
night for the South.
Treat described the night over WASH
ington as terrible" from the airmans 8
| point OF view.
Flying Blind"
Belief was expressed here today
| that Pilot Morrissey. after entering the
thick fog above the Richmond field
and with no object on the ground or
In the sky 10 fix his eyes upon for
horizon" was flying In totally
| blind condition. which caused his plane
10 dive violently and otherwise get out
OF control. The fact that he carried
a fiashlight indicated that his instru-
Enent board light had gone out and he
was endeayoring to fly by his instru-
| F1ents when the crash occurred.
II was emphasized that a pilot caught
IN dense fog, either night OF day, and
with no horizon" 10 hold TO. easily
gets out OF control A short time ago
Q Marine pilot Was caught In a dense
fog between here and Norfolk and was
unable 10 hold his plane on even keel,
After battle Of 40 minutes, during
which he diyed twice within 90 feet
Of the river, looped, spun and stalled,
he was forced 10 abandon The plane,
Every time he tried 10 climb he found
himself going into loop and then div
| Ing a. full speed toward the earth.
As far rs could be learned here, Nor
riSsey's plane was equipped with the
latest instruments, Pitcairn officials
said reports 10 them from Richmond
showed there was nothing defective
about the plane, and Morrissey was
one OF the best pilots they had.
MoTFiseey was the reserve pilot nj
Richmond who stood ready 10 carry The
mall northWard or southwark In the
event Of delays. Owing 10 dense fog
that bIanketed the coast Saturday night
the mail Was unable 10 come down ak
far ~ Washington by plane, 30 II was
sent by train. He few up from Rich
nlond, picked the mail up at 2 O'Clock
and departed for the South IN a thiol,
fog, For several minutes his plane waa
heard from the downtown section as h
etfGled fOf a final test of tbs egliin-
nent and then headed south. Ha ar-
rived at Richmond shout an hour later
and the mnil continued on 10 Atlanta
by plane,
| M0rrissey waa World War flyer. and
after ths aTTnistlcs he remained In ths
service, being detailed to the Army
training center At Kelly Field where la
was an instructor, iteslgning from the
service, he engaged In commercial ny.
ing snd Joined Lhe Pitcairn stan III
pilots few weeks hefore The mali route
opaned lie was married and II sur,