Evening star., 1928-06-14
TWOBADLY HURT
IN SEAPLANE CRASH
Pilot Loses Control Trying to
Miss Potomac River Tug
boat at Bridge.

Two passengers in Seaplane of the
Potomac Flying Service were seriously
injured at noon today when the plane
crashed into the Potomac River, near
Highway Bridge, in trying To avoid n
collision with a tugboat while landing.
The pilot, Thomas Durfee. escaped with
minor injuries.
The plane dove sharply into Is feet
of water about 200 feet of the Potomac
Park seawall, carrying its occupants un-
der the surface. The pilot. disregarding
his own injuries. dragged his passen-
gers out of the wreckage Of the cabin
and onto the wings, holding them there
until they were rescued by the tugboat
crew.
Man Still Unconscious.
One of the passengers, F. Bisman, 30
years old. of Brooklyn. N. Y, still is un-
conscious as a result OF submersion.
Members of the Fire Department rescue
squad are trying to revive him at Emer-
gency Hospital. The other passenger
Walter Luhrs. % years old. also of
Brooklyn. bank clerk. has broken
knee. strained back and bad bruises
Durfee was badly cut on the chin and
leg. His action in saving the passengers
and insisting on staying with his plane
after they were taken off is described
by eyewitnesseS as heroic in the ex-
treme.
The plane, which has been in regular
passenger service at Arlington Beach
frxn 4Sx.A L..
landing when the crash occurred. Pilot
Durfee dropped the plane down over
the top OF Highway Bridge for a land
ing In the river channel. Just as he
cleared the bridge and was nearing the
surface OF the water he saw the tug
boat steaming out from under the span
directly toward him.
Swerved TO Miss Boat
Seeing that he could not land with
out striking the boat. Durfee swerved
sharply to one side. The plane slipped
off" on one wing and hit the water.
wing first, at a sharp angle. The ship
was almost completely demolished and
all three men were entangled in the
wreckage under water. Durfee strug-
gled clear OF the Wreckage and came
TO the surface Finding his passengers
were still In the wreck. he went under
water and pulled them out one at a
time
The tugboat captain put his wheel
hard over and reached the plane short
ly after the crash. With Durfee's as
sistance, the boat crew took Luhrs and
| Bisman aboard and steamed TO the
| Arlington Memorial Bridge, where they
were put ashore The Emergency Hos
| pital ambulance and the rescue squad
| picked the men up at the bridge and
after preliminary attempts 10 revive
Bisman he was taken 20 the hospital
Durfee refused To go aboard the tug
until he had inspected his plane lie
was later taken of by boat from the
Corinthian Yacht Club. The wrecked
plane was a Curtiss seagull and was
painted a bright red
Tells How Crash Occurred.
II was just swinging down for n land
ing" Durfee said. when / saw the tug
n0sing out from the bridge. To avoid
striking 1t / swerved sharply to the
right and the plane slipped of on
wing
AN three OF us were under water,
but ! pulled the two boys up on the
wings, AS soon as possible the tug
crew came over and took the boys
aboard. | stayed on the plane until
a boat from the Corinthlan Yacht
Club came out and took me ashore"
Durfee said he did not think either of
the passengers was injured when they
were taken aboard the tug. He is a
| pilot Of much experience and has been
flying this plane for several months.
! eaav-psrter sasssv~~~es~ve