Evening star., 1938-05-19
CORONER R7OPROBE
FATAL AIR CRASH
Wants to Know Why Nine
Were Killed When Other
Planes Flew Safely.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
A 14-passenge- transport, piloted
BY Sid Wiley. Lockheed test pilot,
crashed into the mountainstde in
Mint Canyon, Calit, Monday. kill
ing the pilot aud eight non-paying
passengers. The pilot apparently
became lost in the he0ry fog
uhich covered the area, 80 air
miles iron, its Burbank tdke-of.
The plane uas being foun to Las
Vegas, Ner. tor deliuery to the
Northwest AirlineS.
By tie Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES. May l9-The
tragic question of why new $4,000
transport plane killed nine persons in
a crash on a fog-hidden Mint Canyon
ridge while commercial air liners few
safely at higher attitudes, was asked
today by Coroner Frank A. Nance
on the eve OF public inquest.
II have talked to witnesses who said
they saw the plane flying not more
than 500 feet from the ground" Mr..
Nance said Under those circum-
stances, I believe it proper for this
office to hold an investigation.
The inquest tomorrow at $50 am.
Pacific standard time) in San Fer
nando mortuary, will be the only public
inquiry. Bureau of Air Commerce OFF,
cials are privately preparing a report
for Washington headquarters.
The wrecked plane. l4-passenger
twin-motored Lockheed which had
been redesigned since it was first built
last July, carried three men, four
women and two children to flaming
death only 80 air miles from its take
of at Union Air Terminal, Burbank,
Monday afternoon.
Fog Delayed Finding.
Heavy fog delayed finding the plane
until yesterday morning 1t had been
bought by Northwest Airlines for for
NAL delivery at Las Vegas. New, out
side California where there is a per
cent sales tax All aboard were nom
paying passengers. either employees of
Lockheed and Northwest or their rela-
tives.
Robert E. Gross. president of Lock-
heed, declined to issue what he said
might be regarded as premature
statement" He added:
While the prcponderance of evil
dence clearly indicates that the cause
of the accident was the sudden en-
counter of fog of unexpected intensity
we feel it appropriate that a single
authoritative report be made, this
latter a function of the Bureau Of Air
Commerce.
Reports that insurance requirements
required contact flying-navigating
by observing ground landmarks-when
a plane was being delivered to a pur-
chaser, we're denied by A. c. Harris
Pacific Coast manager of Aero In
surance Underwriters, which handled
the policy on the wrecked transport.
No Insurance Restrictions.
"There are no insurance restrictions
other than obedience to Bureau OF Air
Commerce rules. on daylight flying
anywhere in the United States" said
MI. Harris The only restriction on
night flying is that the pilot must re-
main within reasonable distance OF
a lighted airway"
Before departure. Sid Wiley, Lock-
heed test pilot. had informed attaches
at Union Air Terminal he would fly
contact" over the mountainous ter
rain to the Mojave Desert. whence he
could continue on the radio beam to
Las Vegas.
The Lockheed left four minutes
ahead of a Western Air express line,
bound for the same destination, which
flew at high attitudes above the fog
and followed the radio beam the entire
distance.
Besides Pilot Wiley, the victims were
Fred Whittemore, vice president Of
Northwest Airlines; Henry Salisbury,
Northwest engineer; Mrs. Salisbury
and their two children, Richard, 3, and
Judith, 2l2 months; Miss Lola Totty.
Lockheed secretary; Mrs. Carl B.
Squier. wife of Lockheed's vice presi-
dent in charge of sales; and Miss Eve
lyn Dingle, st. Paul, Northwest en-
ploye.