Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-14

were cut; they dangled about, Silken
strands. A veritable refuse pile rained
down. Pieces of wing, fabric and loose
parts hailed everywhere.
After separation, the ships lost grips
and crashed hundred feet apart. The
impacts came one upon the other. The
Detroit burst into flames, the New York
did not.
Some moments later I landed in
cabbage patch. The field was nice and
soft, else might have sustained severe
injuries. Much Of my chute's buoy
ancy was lost when the dome ripped
and air poured through the gaps. 1t
and efficiency of this invention, espe-
cially when one considers how the fab
ric had been mutilated in the wreck.
Fourteen shroud lines performed the
work of "a.
whitehead grounded shortly after,
making an easy landing.
I'VE rushed to the burning Detroit,
too late. Flames buried her.
Whitehead's Diary.
"Woolsey had piloted the Detroit. AS
his ship deadlocked with mine specta-
tors saw black puffs burst from her en-
CINE. Evidently. he was trying to dis
entangle his ship by using the throttle.
Lieut.. Benton fell clear of the Detroit
at about 800 feet, but hit the ground
several hundred feet away.
1.-THE San Francisco and st. Louis
landed almost Immediately. Doctors
joined US. A guard was posted and
Lieut. Fairchild appointed accident in
vestigating officer.
Lieut.. Whitehead took charge of SAL
vagifl9 the wrecks and Lieut.. Thompson
remained In charge Of the bodies"
Lieut.. Whitehead's reactions and
Caterpillar adventures were written into
Both planes fell as one" he recalled.
fast to left tools, parts and papers
were flying out Of the rear pit.
1.-The Detroit seemed to have blocked
the rear cockpit of the New York
II unfastened my belt and something
which 1 took to be Maj Dargue went
out of the front cockpit. thought the
tail Of the New York got him. /
climbed up bit and had dif1culty stay
ing still until set for the dive. pushed
of with my right foot, which was hit
very hard at the ankle by the New
York's tail Located plane as she
turned toward me in a spin and when
seemed clear, pulled rip cord
Parachute opened quickly. Ripping
sound Of the shroud lines out Of the
pack surely sounded welcome.
Caught without Chutes.
saw Detroit hit and burst into
flames and an instant later New York
hit q few yards away. Looked around
for other parachutes and could locate
but one. 1t seemed to have several large
holes in panels and descending faster
than I was.
"A nice plowed field was under me.
Pulled of shoes to keep from turning
my ankles. Watched first parachute
land all right. Dropped my shoes when
about so feet In air and landed with
but little shock"
The next day the accident investigat-
ing officer completed his work and the
chief of the Air Corps was advised by
cable. Experts concluded that the ac-
cident was unavoidable, since neither
pilot saw the other plane in time to
swerve out Of the way. Capt. Woolsey
and Lieut.. Benton were killed honor
ably in line Of duty
Oficers Of the Argentine Army took
charge, doing everything in their power
| to ease strain on the survivors. The
natives could not have offered warmer
sympathy II the victims had been avia-
tors in their own flying corps.
I'VE thought" continued Maj.
Dargue, that a great blight had de-
|
most trying situation, because the
| fights responsibility was on my hands.
Woolsey and Benton had endeared
themselves to us by their geniality and
warm friendship.
I'm response to a cablegram, Gen.
Patrick. chief of the Air Corps, replied
that the flight would surely 60 on to
completion and could use my own
| Judgment as to planes and personnel.
"Lieuts. Whitehead and Weddington
| travelled by rail to France Field for the
spare amphibian, with orders TO rejoin
us at Puerto Cabello, Venezuela"
| ITS an amazing story, Major" l
said after hearing him discourse. But
how were Woolsey and Benton caught
without chutes?"
"Of course, Army flyers are required
to wear chutes on all flights But this
was just l0-minute hop. Presumably
| Benton had gotten on the wing to
make the temporary repair. To wear
his chute while working would have
been cumbersome. True to sea ira
dition, WoolSey did not wear q life
preserver until his passenger was pro-
vided with one.
Both were In their seats during the
formation hight. The temporary re-
pair had been made. The opportunity
TO slip on chutes had passed. Little
would any Of US have thought Of har-
Messing up only a few minutes before
landing.
Gen. Patrick asked me that when
we landed at Miami on our return tc
the States" he replied. Technically
rigidly and In the face of strict disci-
pline it can hardly be answered.
I'm those countries we were often
confronted by strange conditions. Usu-
J ally the heat was sitting and the hui
J mildly close, too. To sit harnessed II
9 heavy parachute was no joke. I car