Evening star., 1936-08-06
Accident Unexplained as
Probe Is Lamched-Ver.
non 0mIie, Husband of
D. c Aviatrix, Victim
WRECKAGE is STREWN
OVER PLOWED FIELD
Farmer Says He Heard Ship and
Noticed Unusually Loud Roar
of Motors-Motors Kept Run
ming After Grounding.
Exclusive ,pirephoto OF air crash
on Page A-3.

ST. LOUIS, August 6.-All eight
persons aboard a Chicago & South
ern airliner we're killed in an unex-
planned crash near Lambert-St. Louis
Airport last night.
The wreckage, strewn through a
plowed field for 200 yards. was not
found until early today, almost four
hours after the plane plunged to the
ground.
Investigators seeking the cause had
the ships intact instruments and the
story of an eyewitness to aid them.
List of Victims.
Carried to their deaths in the crash
were:
w. S. Bartlett, Chicago.
c. B. Wright. 18. Hinsdale, Ill.
D. r. McDavitt, Chicago.
George Grieshader, Chicago.
A. r. Holt, Boston.
Vernon Omlie. Memphis.
Carl Zier, Chicago. pilot.
Russell Mossman, New Orleans, CO.
pilot.
Ralph L. Sharp, Fairfield. Ohio.
visitor at farm near the scene of
the crash, said he saw the plane bank
steeply and turn back toward the air
port. from which it had taken off a
few minutes before en- route from New
Orleans to Chicago.
He heard the plane crash a moment
later after it went over a knoll and
was obscured from his view.
George Beklmann, on whose farm
the ship fell, said he heard the plane
and noted the u4usually loud roar
Of its motors.
Pilots in Locked Arms.
searchers found the bodies Of the
pilot and co-pilot. their arms locked
about each other. about so feet from
part Of the wrecked cabin.
Bodies of the passengers, many of
them badly mangled. were scattered
about the twisted main fuselage.
When first saw the plane it was
barely off the ground and making a
steep bank" Sharp said.
1T appeared to be turning back
for the airport.
1T went over a hill and I heard
terrible crash. The motors kept
right on running.
Il looked for a fire, but there WASH t
any"
Sharp and Ben Havercamp, whom
he is visiting, searched unsuccessfully
in the dark for the plane before Sharp
went to the airport and reported the
crash.
Isolation of the spot, small clear
ing surrounded by rolling ground, pre-
vented ground crews from Immediately
locating the plane. Two company en-
ployes searching on foot finally found
the wreckage after four hours.
A. L. Koch and Guy Faulkner, De-
partment of Commerce investigators,
examined the wreckage and airport
records, but would make no statments.
Inquest Scheduled.
The bodies were removed by st.
Louis County Coroner L. B. Tiernon,
who scheduled an inquest for tomor-
row morning.
The ships clock, still running, was
found shortly after dawn 100 yards
from the main wreckage. Other in
struments were intact and were taken
over for study by the investigators.
Carleton Putnam, president Of the
line, said the ship was checked at st.
Louis and was in perfect condition.
1T was one of those things that
can't happen, but still did," he de-
clared in announcing the crash.
H. r. Moore, flight superintendent
for the Airlines' st. Louis Office, re-
ported the plane did not answer a
radio call at 1902 pm, seven minutes
after taking off from the airport.
Attempts to call the plane through
Chicago failed and check at Spring.
field, ILL.,, revealed it had not passed
over.
Weather Conditions Favorable.
Moore said pm. weather infor-
nation, on which Pilot Zier was
cleared, showed a 2,000-foot ceiling,
overcast skies, moderate fog. visibility
of 11a miles and a 4-mile-an-hour
wind.
Airport records showed the ceiling
droped to 500 feet by 1910 pm, and
the visibility to q of a mile.
Moore said the wrecks location
indicated zier was on course. The
(See PLANE, Page 81