Evening star., 1937-08-19
MOTOR TROUBLE
BLAMED IN CRASH
Engine Of Army Plane Will
Be Brought Here for
Examination.

Engine failure and forced landing
on . rough field were blamed today
In the flaming crash Of an Army
attack plane near Maidens, Va, yes
terday that killed Col. William c,
McChord, operations chief of the
Air Corps. and Staff Sergt. Michael
J. O'Connell of near Alexandria.
Capt. A. M. Turner. one of three
officers from Boiling Field who are
conducting an inquiry, said the crash
obviously was due to engine trouble
The motor was removed from The
charred and twisted Wreckage and will
be brought to Boiling Field for a
mechanical examination.
Coroner ]. E. Tilman of Powhatan
County also attributed the accident to
"engine trouble" State police called in
DR.. Tilman for a preliminary inquiry
on instructions from Capt. H. R.
Baxter, operations officer at Boiling
Field. The bodies of the flyers we're
turned over to a Richmond undertaken,
pending funeral arrangements.
Air Corps officers late yesterday few
from Washington to the scene of the
crash, dairy pasture on the grounds
of the Virginia Industrial School for
Boys, the Associated Press reported.
The investigators apparently had
intended to land in the pasture, but
were prevented from doing SO by a
deep ditch thought to have contributed
to the fatal accident. The Army officers
then few to Richmond Airport and
returned to the scene by automobile.
En- Route to Atlanta.
Col. McChord and Sergt O'Connell
left Boiling Field at 1910 am. yes
terday on routine cross country
fight" to Atlanta. The accident CO.
CURED at IL am.
Observers at the boys school saw the
military plane spiral downward with
motor sputtering and come in over
the pasture for an emergency landing.
An official at the school expressed the
conviction that the pilot failed to see
the ditch until he had lost so much
speed he could not clear it.
The left wing tip dug into bank
snd the speedy monoplane swung
around, sheering off both wings as the
fusilage ov0turned and exploded in
flames" witnesses said.
One body was hurled partially clear
OF the wreck and another hung down
from the fusilage, but both were en-
veloped in flames while spectators
y lplo cell NV, b1o n ~,
because of the heat. Both flyers ap-
parently had been knocked uncon-
scious by the impact of the crash
landing.
Gordon Rudd, an assistant superin-
kendent at the school, said the air
plane was having motor trouble and
sircled several times over about five
miles as 1t came lower He said the
pilot cut off the motor some time
before the plane crashed The Board
Of Inquiry had available the eye
witness accounts of Rudd and other
spectators.
Col. McChord Lived Here.
Col. McChord who is survived by
his widow, Mrs. Florence r. McChord
lived at the Mayflower Hotel. He has
been on duty often in Washington
since 1918 The flyer was Sc years old
and q native of Lebanon KY. Follow
ing his graduation from West Point
In 1907, Col. McChord was commits
stoned in the lst Cavalry and sent to
Fort Clark, Tex. He was transferred
10 the Air Corps during the World
War.
Col McChord was graduate of
the Mounted Service School. the Air
Corps Tactical School, the Command
and General Staff School and the