Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1930-01-24
ONE DIES
IN PLANE
ACCIDENT
Robert Glenn OF La Mesa
Killed In Crash North Of
Ell Centre.
COMRADE INJURED
Stunning Ends In Tragedy
AS Airship Falls Into
Tailspin.

Robert Glenn is dead and +. T..
Shovel lies in serious condition
at the FL Centre hospital with but
slight hopes held out for his recov-
cry, as the result of an airplane
crash which occurred this morning
in field just southeast of the fair
grounds near Imperial. During the
course of investigations made by
officials from the district attorneys
,ffice, it was found that Glenn's
watch had stopped at l0:40 exactly,
determining the time Of the. crash.
G. II. Caver and c. II. Hogan,
working nearby, were the first men
to reach the scene after the crash.
They found Shovel to be still
breathing and took him to DR..
Gray's office in Imperial from
whence he was removed to the hos
pital. Reports from the hospital
states that he is still unconscious
and that thorough examination
could not be made as yet.
Fred Roorscnuck, of FL Centre,
was witness to the crash and told
how the plane took off from the I'm
perial airport just short time prev.
iously with Glenn in the front cock
pit and Shovel in the rear. After
maneuvering in the air for some
time, the plane went into a series
of wingovers and when at an alti.
tude Of approximately 500 feet it
suddenly slipped into n tailspin and
n0sesdived to the ground.
Glenn was crushed by the force
of the impact between the instru-
ment board and seat. Death prob.
ably was instantaneous as he was
found huddlcd down on the floor Of
the cockpit with one arm thrown out
as if to ward off the impending
crash. After the arrival Of the
coroner it was found necessary to
cut the engine from the frame of the
plane in order to get the body out
Of the wreckage.
Plane Smashed
The ship which had formerly be-
longed to Roy Pemberton, now fly.
ing instructor at Lindbergh field,
San Diego, is n mass of torn and
twisted wreckage. Propellors were
snapped off short and the nose was
telescoped back almost to the dash
board. The wings are badly bent
and the whole plane sits huddled up
with the rudder Tapping idly in the
air since the instruments which gov
ern its actions are torn from their
places. Particles of the woodwork
and some tools lay strewn about on
the ground. 1t was almost miracu-
lous that the plane did not catch
fire after the crash as the whole
frame is saturated with gasoline
from the broken fuel tank.
Traffic officers and other Off
cials were soon on the scene to keep
tho curious away from the plane un.
til the arrival of the coroner.
Glenn and Shovel were both Ii
ecnsed pilots and had much expert
cnee in aviation. Shovel Is flying
instructor at the Imperial Airport
and was formerly connected with
the Airtech School of Aviation, San
Diego. Glenn, is former resident
of FL Centre having moved to La
Mesa some short time ago. He was
% years old and his mother lives in
La Mesa.
First reports Of the accident reach
ing this city stated that Joe Hart,
we'll known Holtville pilot and for
mcr star athlete at Holtville high
school and Central junior college,
lad been killed. A check-up by the
Press located Hart at his home in
Holtville, unaware that he was sup.
posed to be dead.