Imperial Valley press., 1930-01-20
DISASTER
BLAMED
0 n FOG
Believe Pilot Tried To
Avoid Crash In Which
l6 Died At Oceanside.
Indy AIDS QUIZ
Tragedy Declared To Be
Worst In History OF
Aviation.
BY THOMAS r. CURRAN
United Press Staff Correspondent

BY TROMAS N. COhhAN
United Press Staff Correspondent
SAN CLEMENTE, Calf, Jan. 20.
U.p'-Col Charles A. Lindbergh to-
day donated his flying skill to dis
cover how IL persons were killed
near here last night in the greatest
airplane catastrophe in history.
Leaving San Diego shortly after
dawn. Lindbcrgh raced to the sect
,f the crash in ear. He reached the
Roadside ranch, eight miles south
: Of San 5~@mente, GU 9 4. III.
Lindbergh was acting not only in the
interest of aviation generally, but
also in an afficial capacity.
The wrecked plane, a Maddux air
liner enroutc from Aqua Caliente to
Jos Angeles, was operated by the
r. \. r. Company of which he is
IN executive.
l.indbergh refused comment until
he had sufficient opportunity to
make a thorough survey of the scene
of the crash. Other airmen al the
scene, however, b G lev e d Lind
bergh's report would corroborate in
the main, the earlier findings of the
San Diego air board.
This board, civic organization,
blamed the tragedy on sudden sea
squall which caught the heavy tri-
motorcd plane rs it was looping back
toward San Diego.
"In attempting to turn, the
board reported. "the left wing of
the plane was swept by the pressure
of the storm against the groupG. y
Area Is Stormy
As the plane toppled under the
impact of the wing crash, the board
.ound its gasoline tanks became dis
lodged, spraying the fuel over its
still hot motors. The explosion, fol
lowed by the fatal flames, came al
most as the plane struck.
The section through which the big
transport was flying is considered
"A bad storm area because Of the
, squalls which come off the Pacific
without warning.
Pilot Basil Russell, an experienced
FLYER, knew this and lost no time at
tempting to turn back when lie saw
the storm approaching, officials said.
The squall came too swiftly, now
ever, and his plane was forced to
an estimated POO foot level before he
could attempt to swing il around.
The board found nothing to sub
stantiate the belief of one witness
that there was motor trouble.
SAN CLEMENTE, Calf, Jan. 90.
U.P-Flames which envelopcd tri-
motored transport plane when 1t
crashed near here late yesterday
brought death to it's l6 occupants.
The Pacific coast g second great
aerial catastrophe in three weeks
and the nation worst air tragedy,
occurred when T. A. T.Maddux
passenger plane loaded with week
end pleasure seekers returning from
Aqua Calicnte tore into the earth.
The 16 dead were: Mr.. and Mrs.
Edward J. Bowen, Los Angeles
Mrs. Doris Cantillon, Los Angeles
Mrs. George c. Glover, Los Angeles;
Edward J. Small, Los Angeles;
Frances Jameson, Alhambra, Calf;
Charles Rabold, Fair Hope, Ala;
Miss Elizabeth Squibb, Pasadena,
Calf: Mrs. Hannah Battstein, Fair
Hone, Ala; Mr.. and Mrs. Cedric
Brown, Los Angeles; w. w. Paden,
Los Angeles; Pilot Basil Russell,
Glendale, Calf; Co-Pilot Freddie
y Walker, Glendale, Calf.
Another report that the plane hit
ii fence as it swooped into an at,
temped safe landing, was doubted
by the army flyer.
The crash was the worst single
air tragedy in the history of this
country s aviation, and the second
major catastrophe in California TINS
month.
1t came just little mere than
two weeks after 10 men lost their
lives near Santa Monica when two
of three planes engaged in filming
n motion picture collided in mid
air and fell into the Pacific ocean.
Thorough investigation into the
cause of the San Clcmente disaster
was begun by II. w. Beck. vice
president Of the II. A. T.-Maddux
Air Lines. All officials of the com
many were mustered for the quiz.
Col. Charles A. Lindbergh was
summoned from San Diego whore he
had spent the weekend with Mrs.
I.indbergh and friends. The famous
FLYER would not give an opinion on
tho cause of the accident until he
had investigated.
Lieut.. d. w. Tomlinson, vice
president in charge of operations
Tor Maddux, cut short his honey
moon-it started Sunday - aud re-
= turned from Palm Springs to give
~~~~N~-~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~ N~~~~~~~>~~~~N~-~~~~~
Continued on Page SIX