The Washington times., 1928-04-16
Bremen Crashes Ice
AS Flight Finishes In
Gale, Snow and Fog
~ international NewA service

ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, April
1s.-For many hours before their
forced landing on Greenly Island.
Capt. Herman Koehl, Baron Won
'Huensfeld and commandans James
IL. Fritznaaurick, Of the transatlantic
plane Bremen, faced DEATH accord
ing to late details Of the flight re-
cAived here today.
The first half OF the flight was
made under unexpectedly good con
siitions. The dangers developed dur
Ing the latter half Of the flight when
the Bremen ran into gale at sea
and later encountered strong acati-
winds, snow and fog.
While over the midatIantic, the
Bremen ran into thick weather,
which made 1t necessary 1t times
to dip the plane almost to the sur.
face Of the water. Attempts to ride
over the fog tailed. so Pilot Koehi
kept As close to the water as pos.
sible, hoping to ride through the
mist.
Heavy Head Winds
The head MiiAds grew stronger and
it was seen that the gasoline twas
going 10 be consumed more quickly
than had been expected when tlae
plane hoped off at BaldOnnel air
drOn1e.
KUehl thought he had enough fuel
for 40 hours but long before the
expiration Of that time the gas
was running low.
The pilot held the plane on its
course and after some hours the
fog began to lift. However, there
was a strong wind blowing out of
the west and snow squalls blew up
occasionally. Due to The tore
thought OF the men in coating the
plane with parafin before leaving
Baldonnel no ice formed on the
wings.
This was one danger that Lind.
bergh faced that the German.Irigh
filters did not have to contend with.
Just az the airmen believed they
were off the Canadian coast they
ran into another blanket of fog
which obscurbed everything. 1t II
believed that it was in this fog that
the men lost their way and steered
too far north.
They were headed for Labrador
when they sighted the island of
Greenly. At that time it was snow
ing and the Bremen was fighting
terrificaly against the winds.
Compass Goes Wrong
The compass had evidently gone
wrong. due to the atmospheric con-
ditions off the Cult OF st. Lawrence.
The men "sensed" the presence OF
land before they made out the
coast line through the murk and
snow.
1t was late Friday afternoon and
t. northern dusk was falling. The
men did not know exactly where
they were. but believed they were
over Newfoundland.
koehl wanted to keep on going
hoping to right his course by land
marks, but the gasoline was low.
A landing was necessary.
The "Ot than Unanswered over
the island. He made out the ice
packs off the shore and decided to
laid on the surface Of a smooth
svDOt In the center Of tie isIet. This
prov to be sheet Of ice on a
lake.
Broken Ice Results
Up to that time the motor was
running in perfect order and the
plano had not sustai4.ed any dam.
age. keehl let the ship down upon
the ice. but the weight was so great
it broke through. 1t was then that
the tail and propeller were injured.
In addition to the wind, fog and
snow the aViators reported passing
through a number Of air pockets
which rocked the plane and added
to the perils Of the spectacular
flight.
AS soon as the lighthouse keeper
on the island told the men there
was radio station about 20 miles
away all wrote out a number of
messages and these were carried
across Belle Isle Strait to Labrador
thence to the wireless station where
they were sent by Operator Barrett.