Imperial Valley press., 1930-04-28
BIG TOLL
IN PLANE
CRASHES
Sixteen, Including Two
Nationally Known Fly
ers, Are Victims
SEVERAL I'm u r E ID
One OF Famous Texan
Endurance AviatOrs
Meets Tragic Death
By United Press

Airplane accidents TOOK the lives
of Is persons, two Of them national
" known pilots, in scattered parts
of the country over the week end
One of the worst air tragedies or
the wear occurred yesterday Mt n
flying circus outside of Fayette'
vile. Tenn, where pilot dived into
crowd gathered on the LANDING
field, his plane killing eight spec
tators and injuring Ii others. Three
of the injured were not expected
10 survive. The flyer, Milton Col,
vert of Columbia, Tenn, was held
today on murder charge.
CAPTAIN Herbert J. Fahy, former
holder of the world solo endurance
record, died yesterday of injuries
received when his plane turned over
as he was taking off last FRIDAY
from the estate of Chff Durah'
millionaire sportsman and manufae-
turcr. at Crawling, Mich.
Another former endurance record
holder, Jim Kelly of Fort Worth,
Tex. was killed in crash during
an electrical storm Saturday near
Lacord, in the same state. One oil
his two companions was killed ana
the other died of injuries yester'
day. III
Two l3 wear old children taking
their first airplane ride, were killed
Yesterday at Portsmouth, \. H.,
within sight of their mothers when
a sightseeing plane dived into earti'
and burst into flames.
At Milwaukee, Wis, II 26 year old
novice flyer and his passenger,
high school boy, were killed trying
to land.
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn, April
2s. Milton Colvert, flying eir
ems pilot of Columbia, Tenn, was
held on a technical charge of homl
eide today after an accident whicn
killed eight persons and injured IL
others yesterday.
Descending on landing fleid
which was swarmed with spectators
Colvert purposely guided his plane
low in order to frighten them away
from the ships path, it was charged
Less than so feet above the fieid
the plane suddenly dropped into the
crowd, its whirring propeller striK
ing with deadly effect.
Colvert said the accident wa
caused by an air pocket, while FeiiX
Campbell, whose wife and emo
were among the injured, claimed the
pilot had flown so low as to strike
a telephone wire with his wheels.
An angry mob formed about the
FLYER and he was taken from the
field by deputy shcriffs and later
secretly removed to another county
to await hearing some time today
Sheriff NJ. w. Rhea said no coro
ner's inquest would be held, howev
cr. and Indicated the murder charge
against Colvert was only temporary
The dead: Booney Beard, Ia
Kelly. Towry, %; Lawrence Smith
2s; Monroe Marbury, 81; Hurley
Spray, 80; Marion Ashy, 80; Jasper
Hareston. 3; Wade Bonner, negro
..
CRAWLING, Mich, April 2s. W.n
The body of Captain Herbert J
Fahy, 80, former holder of The
worlds solo endurance record, wht
died from injudies received whel
his plane crashed during a takeofi
here, was taken to Washington to
day for burial.
Fahy succumbed to injuries yes
terday after his plane crashed on
the estate of Cliff Durant, million
aire manufacturer, to whom he wa
demonstrating a plane. His wife
Mrs. Claire Fahy, also an aviator
was uninjured in the crash.
LOS ANGELES, April 2S. U,H-
An attempt to set his plane dowi
after the landing gear had beel
damaged by telephone wires, ma,
prove. fatal to w. B. Harkrider
member Of the city engineers fly
ing club.
Harkrider mancuvered the clul
ship in which he flew alone yester
day, to miss a 10000 volt powe
line only ITO rake through strin.
of telephone wires nearer th'
ground.
He received skull injuries as hi
head struck the cowling of the plan'
when the ship plowed into the earth
YOUTH ON AIR JAUNT