Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-10-18
SearchingPilot
Unable to Tell
If Any Live.
BAD CRACK-UP,
FIRE FEARED
Wreckage Is Held
Scattered; lO-Mile
Foot Trip Seen.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SALT LAKE CITY. october ia
giant "Mainliner" of the United Air
lines, lost IA hours with 10 persons
was sighted in rugged Southwestern
Wyoming today with first indications
1t either had been wrecked or burned.
Whether any one had escaped alive
could not be determined until ground
searchers reached the scene-a mat
ter of hours.
3 Arthur Willoughby, postal inspector
said he understood" the plane was
burned or badly cracked up"
They have nothing definite on it
yet, but it is my understanding the
men who found the ship got the i'm
preston it either had been badly
smashed or had been partially
burned" Willoughby said.
Among the passengers on the missing
airliner were Mrs. Campbell Prichett,
socially prominent in Washington and
Charles D. Renouf, also of Washing
ton, a former U. A. l.. district traffic
manager.
Is DesOlate Spot.
The plane was located by air
searchers a relatively short distance
from an emer agency landing field on
its regular westbound route from
Cheyenne. Wyo.. to Salt Lake City.
The nearest settlements were Evans
ton. Wyo., to the east, and Knight,
Wyo, to the west. The rugged, desc
late spot was about IS miles east of
Salt Lake City and was known to resi-
dents there as Haydens Peak or Por-
cupine Ridge.
R. w. Schroeder, vice president OF
United, announced the mighty trans
continental transport was sighted by
Bob Bergensen. pilot, and Observer
Bill williams, who then radioed they
would land at the Knight, Wyo.. field,
near the Utah border.
In rough, broken country, the scene
of the apparent crash can be reached
only by difficult wagon road. Schroe-
der said. Rain and snow may make
access even more difficult.
Hayden's Peak is a promentory
jutting out of the wilderness country
at the eastern edge of the Wasatch
Mountain range.
An Evanston party of searchers'
organized by Sheriff F. L. Narramore,
intended to go first to some flats
about 10 miles from the peak, where
they would enlist a party to climb
the mountain side.
I0-MiIe Trip BY Foot.
The Evanston sheriff estimated
circuitous 10-mile trip on foot or pos
sbly more would be required from
the nearest point where a horse or
wagon could approach the plane.
The terrain prohibits the use of
automobiles.
Narramore made this comment:
The meager information reaching
my Office does not indicate whether
any of the persons aboard the plane
escaped injury. but there is sufficient
evidence to believe the plane was
badly damaged, as one report said
wreckage could be seen for some dis
lance from the air.
Radioed "All o. K"
Evanston is IS miles northeast of
Utahs capital. on the east side of the
mighty Wasatch range of mountains.
The plane, with Is passengers and
q crew of 3, left Cheyenne at 6:25
pm. IN. S. To last night for Salt
Lake City and was due here at 8:42
pm. IN. S. To.
At 8:16 pm. Pilot Earl D. Woodgerd
reported he was over Rock Springs,
Wyo, rs miles east of Salt Lake City.
Slightly rough. All o. K" was his
report. 1t was the last word from the
plane.
At that time a drizzling rain and
heavy fog blanketed Southwestern
wyoming This morning there was
only a 200-foot ceiling at Cheyenne,
and spotty weather conditions pre-
vailed generally. Snow fell at Denver.
= The Air Commerce Bureau at Wash
tngton dispatched seven airline in
spectors from Oakland, Calf; Los
Angeles and Chicago to aid in the
search.
The plane did not have sufficient
fuel to remain aloft until daybreak.
The transport left Chicago at 1890
pm. &C. S. To yesterday.
Many Possible Landing Sites.
Airmen said that the expanse be-
tween Rock Springs and Salt Lake
City, which crosses the treacherous
Wasatch Mountains, was blanketed in
heavy clouds yesterday and that it
rained much of the day.
Shortly after midnight the clouds