Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-01
Canada!Sft
Air|iner' S Ashes
ForCrashC|ue
Identification Of 20
Dead Difficult After
Fire Destroys Plane

In q heap of cold ashes and q
few fragments OF charred, twisted
metal. inyestigators>of two nations
today sought to learn why an
American Airlines flagship
plunged flaming into the earth,
carrying 20 persons TO death in
an oat field near Sheldon. Ont,
IS miles west of ST. Thomas.
No survivor remained among
the three crew. members and II
passengers aboard when the ship
left Buffalo. en- route for Detroit.
Seven OF those killed were De-
troiters and three others were
from outstate Michigan.
Bodies of the victims, when re-
moved from the still smoking
wreckage, were torn and burned,
almost beyond recognition. and eff
forts are still underway TO make
formal identifications. The ship
crashed with a sound like dyna-
mite exploding" nearby residents
said.
SEPARATE PROBES BEGUN
United States and Canadian avn
alton authorities shared in prelim-
mary investigation, while Ameri-
can Airlines officials dispatched
to the scene conducted an inde-
pendent inspection of the wreck.
An autopsy was 10 be performed
today on Pilot David /. Cooper to
search for any signs of carbon
monoxide or alcoholic poisoning, il
was announced by DR.. Smirle
Lawson, chief coroner for Ontario
Not yet knowing what part they
would take In Investigations. be-
! cause the crash was on Canadian
soil. Civil Aeronautics Board ex-
perts were dispatched from Washs
ington TO aid officials from Detroit
and Buffalo already on the scene.
Jerome Lederer director OF the
air safety bureau; Robert w.
Chrisp. director Of the accident
legal division; and Irwin n. Town.
send, and Allen Borden, air safety
investigators from Detroit and
New York City are conducting
the examination for the United
States.
CANADA SENDS INSPECTOR
Wing Commander Douglas B..
JOY, Canada's district Inspector of
civil aviation. was sent 10 the
scene from Ottawa 10 act as a
preliminary board of inquiry.
Charles Rheinstrom. vice-presi-
dent OF American Airlines, now in
ST. Thomas, near Sheldon. blasted
one theory--that Pilot Cooper had
missed a change of radio beams
near Sheldon and crashed seeking
TO get back on the beam.
There ~ nothing to that"
Rheinstrom asserted.
IL was the first crash i'm six
years of an American Airlines shin.
The company for four years has
received awards as the safest in
the world.
Rheinstrom explained that he
was IN ST. Thomas primarily 10
arrange shipment Of bodies hack
TO SURVIVORS, to any point the fam
lies might wish.
DIFFICULTIES ARISE
Difficulties involved were i'm.
mediately apparent. how ever.
when Doctor Lawson admitted
that so far only seven or eight
bodies" have been identified. ~
II may he necessary he said. for
relatives OF the victims 10 come TO
, Sheldon 10 identify the bodies.
)now in five Sheldon undertaking
establishments.
A coroner's Jury of five men
was impaneled by Doctor Lawson
and taken IN the scene officially TO
view the wreckage The body of
Pilot Cooper was then identified
10 the jury and the inquest was
adjourned. subject 10 call BY Cor
don B. Conant, attorney general
for Ontario.
MOTORS TO BE INSPECTED
" bN ilSlNNlfU Nv lflf lFlNeSU-
cation are remains of the motors
OF the ship. one of which was
buried several feet in the ground
-hX- xialaaee-e fttc-fmpart.-
Pilot Cooper. "a. a graduate of
Syracuse University. had been
with the line for 10 years. He
lived at Plandome. n. Y. Only a
few minutes before the accident
he had radioed that all was well
al 1000 feet above Jarvis. Ont.
First Officer r. L. Owens. 30.
OF New York City, the co-pilot.
was on his first run. "a hours after
receiving his pilots wings. Third
member of the crew WAS Steward
ess Mary K. Blackley. q, of New
York City.
Detroit and Michigan residents
killed were: Eugene j. Watt, 81
OF Royal Oak; Thomas A. Fraser
AZ. OF River Rouge; Vernon r.
Conzett, 30, Of 50 Maple street:
George S. Van Norman. So, Of
1873 ST. Mary's avenue; f. NJ.
CA@ss