Imperial Valley press., 1930-09-18
FAMOUS WOMAN
FLYER IS KILLED
AT SAN DIEGO
Continued from page /

her parents. Mr.. and Mrs. W. T.
BIanev. who lived at Irving, Kan
sas.
Her attempted flight actually WAS
to have had international signifl-
cance as she flew here from Aqua
Caliente. Mexico. shortly after
n. M. She had planned to start the
flight from the Mexican border city
hut weather conditions caused her
to chance her mind.
Made Altitude marx
Ruth Alexander rose to national
fame when she set her altitude rec
ord Of 26.600 feet in flight over
san Diego The girl carried an
oxygen tank for use 1T high altI-
tudes but despite this aid she lost
consciousness at $4,000 feet.
She said afterward that the rush
Of cold air revived her when the
plane went into a sharp descent.
1t was not learned until the
planes barograph was checked that
!. new record had been established.
The unguided plane had carried the
unconscious pilot 1900 feet higher
before it nosed earthward and start
ed a breathless plunge.
Miss Alexander worked in a beau
tv parlor to earn money for hef
flying instructions. Always inter
csted in aviation, she proved an apt
pupil and soon was making solo
flights. She first made a bid for
fame by attempting the altitude
flight, but fell short OF the then
existing record.
The second attempt was success
ful, as, she passed the late Marvel
Crosson's greatest height by 1000
feet. Miss Crosson, also well
known San Diego aviator, was killed
in the 1929 national wOmen's AR
derby.
: Recently Miss Alexander made 4
l6-hour three flag flight from
Vancouver, &. c., to Aqua Caliente,
Mexico.
She had planned to pause only al
Wichita, Kansas, on her attempted
transcontinental flight today.
san DIEGO, Calf, Sept. IS. (U.p)
Ruth Alexander, - year old San
Diego aviator, was killed at Iona
Portal near here early today soon
| after taking off ON an attempted
, one stop flight to New York.
The young flyer crashed into the
side Of a hill on Iona Portal,
residential district on Point Iona
just inside the city limits to the
vest.
Miss Alexander took off in
low hanging fog and was believed
to have lost her bearings.
Nearby residents heard the crash
of the tiny plane and telephoned
Lindbergh field officials. Police
were called, and, the girl 5 body was
found in the tiny monoplane )
wreckage.
Bits of the plane were strewn
along the hill for good distance,
indicating she was travelling at
high speed at the time. OF the mn
pact. ..
Department of. commerce Off
cials and Coroner Schuyler {. Kelly
launched separate investig cations OF
the tragedy. The body was held at
an undertaking parlor pending an
inquest.
Miss Alexander set a world alti-
tude record for women in hight
planes here last June and was re-
| garded as one of the best women
flyers in the nation.
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 18. U.p)-ln-
vcstigation of the crash which early
today cut short the brilliant aNla'
tion career of Ruth Alexander, San
Diego flyer killed in the fog on
Point Iona, brought out two theor-
les Of causation.
The official report of the city
board of air control declared the ac-
cident, which occurred few MN,
utes after Miss Alexander took OF
from here on flight to New York,
WAS caused by the heavily loaded
plane going into a spin.
"Thc ship apparently dived nnder
full power while the pilot was at
tempting to climb over fog
bank, " the report stated. "Ihe
!
callv. and widely scattered wreck
age indicated il had hit with tre-
mendous forces.
Coroner Schuyler Kelly in an
opinion which was supported by 40,
cal pilots, declared he believed Miss
Alexander found herself heading
toward one of the hills rising from
Point Iona and attempted TOO
abruptly to gain altitude.
This presumed sudden shift Of the
fuel laden plane sheered the wings
from the fusilage, il was held. 10
support his theory the coroner
pointed out that one wing had ran,
er 300 feet from the demolished
fnsilape. and the other Is feet, and
tiot neither was badly broken.
| An inquest into the crash will be
held Saturday.
}