Imperial Valley press., 1935-02-22
FLYER MEETS
M|SHAP SOON
AF TER START.
Descends Uninjured At Muroc
Dry Lake With Only Slight
Damage To Plane
PLANNING TO TRY AGAIN
Stranded Motorist Scared Out
OF Wits As Weird Apparition
Meets His Gaze

UNION AIR TERMINAL, Bur-
bank, Calf, Feb. %. U.p)--A "bit
of tough luck" spoiled Wiley
Posts attempt today to fly from
coast to coast in seven hours, but
he intends to have another try at
it soon, Post said here today.
The sudden termination of his
proposed record setting trip which
ended at Muroc dry lake, 100 miles
northeast of here was due to a
broken oil line, he reported when
he was brought back to his start
ing point in another plane.
He suffered no injury, he said.
His plane was only slightly DAM
aged and can be repaired quickly
and he proposed to repeat his at
tempt within a few days.
The famous one-eyed Oklahoma
flyer announced his intention of
returning to Muroc dry lake today
to bring back his equally famous
Winnie Mae, in which he twice cir
cled the globe.
81 was going along great guns"
Post said, Smilingly. II was making
plenty of speed at about $4,000 feet
and rapidly getting to the $4,000
foot level at which hoped to fly
to New York. Suddenly the oil
pressure started to go down.
Tried To Return
Next, I discovered leak in the
oil line and knew my strato-
sphere flight was over for the time
being"
Post said he turned about. hop
ing to make for his starting point.
He discovered he could not hope
! to reach 1t. Then he looked for the
Muroc dry lake and landed safe
ly on its even sands.
The dry lake bed frequently has
been used in speed tests by auto
mobiles and motorcycles.
Post pointed out he was fortu-
nate to have found such a suit
able landing place for he had
dropped his regular landing gear
when he took off. This was done
to add speed to the Winnie Mae
and 1t left him with nothing but
belly Skids on which to come
down safely.
He was pleased with the way the
skids worked. A slightly bent pro-
pellor was the only damage done
in the landing and that can be re-
| paired in short time.
To Return Plane
Trucks were started Immediately
for Muroc Dry Lake. They carried
the Winnie Macs landing gear and
another propeller. Post said he
would fly back to Muroc Lake this
afternoon and return his ship to-
night or tomorrow.
Post recounted with considerable
glee the scare he gave a motorist
who had stopped to repair his au-
tomobile near the spot Post came
down.
The engine of the Winnie Mae
cut at 10000 feet and Post landed
almost noiselessly.
For flying at an altitude of $4,000
feet where the temperature was so
below and the air thin, the Okla
homan was outiftted in a rubber
suit and an aluminium head gear.
He somewhat resembled a deep sea
diver.
Engrossed in repairing his car,
the motorist did not see or hear
Post land and his first knowledge
of the pilots presence was the ap-
pearance of the grotesque figure
Post made as he suddenly appeared
from the rear of the automobile.
The motorist started to run, Post
said, but finally was persuaded To
return and aid the flyer to get out
of his suit.
Post took off from here shortly
after dawn, hoping to reach Ben
net field, New York, in no more
than seven hours.
Post said that his second at
tempt to make the transcontinen-
tai jump would be determined by
the length of time required to re-
pair his machine and the weather.
ut will be soon," he said But
can't tell exactly when. think
CONTINUED on page 81