Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-07-18
Flyer And Friend Plunge To Death

Laytonsville, Nd, July ll.-With his
sweetheart, mother. sister and brother
watching him as he prepared to land
Leonard Orville Sabine. "a years old, was
killed instantly last evening when wing
OF his plane came off in midair and he
crashed to the ground at terrific speed. His
companion Myron L. Bennett, 20 years old
of IS New Hall street. New Haven, Conn,
also was killed.
Death came in the manner in which the
young pilot had repeatedly told his family
he wanted to die. But few months ago
when his father had attempted to dissuade
him from career as an aviator, he had
replied: IF l die flying. Ill be happy"
The accident occurred within halt mile
of the home of Miss Eueenia WarRed, to
whom he was engaged to marry. The
Warfield farm is on the Gaithersbure- Lay
louisville road. about two miles from here,
and the dairy farm of Mr.. and Mrs. Leslie
X. Sabine, the aviatOrs parents, is about
two miles farther on the road to Gathers
burg.
Young Sabine and Bennett were flying
from the Hamden Airport at Hamden
Conn.,. where Mr.. Sabine was an instructor
and chief pilot, to the Sabine farm for
short vacation. They had telegraphed Miss
Warfield the time they would be past her
house. The plane arrived twenty minutes
ahead nf ochnd,,la hut tha ,,o,,ad ,.,o,,oo
was in the yard waving as it went by. 1t
was less than 100 yards beyond the house
that the wing came off. George, a 9-year-
old brother of Sabine. sighted the plane
and called his mother and 13-year-old
sister Eleanor out of the house to watch
just in time to see the crash.
According to several residents of the
nelghborhood it was dusk and Sabine was
flying the machine at an altitude of about
2OO feet, confident Of his knowledge of
the terrain.
Coming into sight of Miss Warfield and
her parents. Mr. aud Mrs. John Warfeld.
and their younger daughter. Rachel. he
swerved near to the house and then zoomed
up and away.
Both wings on the right side of the plane
suddenly buckled. were whipped back
against the side of the plane and torn off,
falling into field owned by j. o. Williams.
Then the top wing on the other side Of the
biplane cracked and was ripped off,
AS the plane dropped. twisting crafty
in the air, Mr.. Sabine apparently put the
engine into top speed in an attempt to
make three point landing. He managed
to hiring the ship down on its wheels and
tail skid. but was unable to check the speed
of the disabled craft in time to prevent it
crashing into stout wire fence.
The terrible impact tore away a long
portion of the fence and hurled the plane
over on its back, completely demolishing
it. The landing was on the farm of E. E.
Stup.
Mr.. Stup. j. o. Williams and his son W.
B. Williams. witnessed the accident and
hurried to the scene. They found both
bodies maneed and life extinct The wings
were later discovered 500 yard, from the
body of the airship.
Sabine was well known in Washington
several years ago as an athlete at McKin-
ley High School. He was graduated there
in 1925 after winning his letter in foot
ball for three years, in base ball his senior
year. He also was member of the rifle
team. the swimming team and the radio
club.
After his graduation he worked on the
farm of his father. well-to-do dairyman
and farmer. for two years. When Col.
Lindburg made his transatlantic flight. the
young man became fired with desire to be
an aviator and despite the vigorous pro-
where he completed the course in the fly
ing school.
Returning home. he bought plane with
Jack Warfield. brother of his sweetheart
and Harold Hargett, who lived nearby.
The trio made many trips together and
Mr.. Sabine had become an accomplished
pilot when he obtained a position at the
Hamden Airport.
The bodies were turned over to Roy Bar
Der. Laytonsville undertaken. The craft in
which he met his death was nine -cylin.
der biplane. 220 horsepower. and belonse
70 the airport corporation by which he was
employed.
Surviving Sabine are his parents. two
brothers. Walter. Fl years old. and George.
| 8 years old. and two sisters. Eleanor. 10.
and Elizabeth. 2 years old.