Evening star., 1946-08-16
Pilot of Stolen Plane Missinq
After Crockup Near Rockville
Croft Taken From Hyottsvie Airport
In Dead of Night; Blood Found in Cabin
(Picture on Page A-3.j

sonnet, but said an eagle emblem
on the visor was that of a civllian
flight instructor.
Marks on a Weedy fatland a mile
northeast of Rockville indicated the
pilot attempted landing and had
skinned along the ground about
100 feet before the plane nosed over
on its back. Scene of the crackup
was about 100 yards off the Viers
Mill road on the Donald Woodward
farm. The wreckage was visible
from the highway.
The motor was thrown about &c
feet behind the planes tail. The
cabin was slightly damaged anc
blood was found on the roof.
The plane evidently was stoler
some time before 3 am, when tht
field was in complete darkness ant
all airport employees off duty.
| H. T. Barrett, attached to tn
airport said it was only by tn
grace of God" that the pilot wa
able to maneuver the plane ant
successfully take Off
The plane belongs to James Vim
cent Coughlin, 80, of 1911 I
street Sc, a former Army All
Forces pilot, who purchased it re.
Gently to go into the map-makine
business. Mr.. Barrett said Mr.
Coughlin was scheduled to fly tc
Florida today on his first assign
ment.
Cash Box Is Looted.
Before he broke the lock on the
plane door and started his ILL
starred flight, the pilot smashed out
window of the airport office and
rifled cash box of So or 50. He
also helped himself to a parachute
which gave investigating Civil Aero
nautics Administration authorities
reason to believe the culprit was a
thrill seeker who meant to bail out
of the plane.
Marks on the runway indicated
the thief knew his way around the
airport well enough to use the run
way and take off in a southerly
direction. Characterizing the pilot
as "a damn fool" Mr.. Barrett said
the takeoff was little short of as
founding.
Rockville police heard reports
that q plane was flying low and
stunting over Rockcrest and Silver
Spring about am They learned
OF the crackup at 7:50 am. when
James Trout of Route l, Rockville
a carpenter and Montgomery Coun-
ty special deputy sheriff, notified
them.
Before that hour the Nationa
Airport was advised of the plane
theft. The information was thai
a Stinson cabin plane, convertible
for five passengers use, had disap.
peared from the Queens Chape
field. The NC number, 69351, wa
traced to Mr.. Coughlin.
Mr., Barrett depicted the plant
thief as young man and considered
it likely he was the same person wht
about five weeks ago unsuccessful,
attempted to make off with a plan,
at the Queens Chapel Field.
On that occasion, the plane noset
over on the getaway and the pilo
escaped without detection
Discharged from the Army All
Forces January after three years
Mr.. Coughlin two months agc
formed a business partnership with
Alfred w. Straughan, AZ, of 190i
Lansdowne Way, Silver Spring, who
had served with him as a pilot ir
the 10th Photo Squadron in the
Caribbean theater
They went in business with John
B. Holmberg, a former air forces
major and head of the Holmberg
Aerial Survey Co.. 210 Vermont
avenue NV. Constructed for the
British Royal Navy, the crashed
plane was purchased four months
ago as surplus lease-lend property
Low Flying Plane Heard.
At the Straughan home about
am. today Mrs. Straughan heard
an airplane flying low, apparently
coming from the Queens Chapel air
port, about five miles away. She
thought it must be Mr.. Coughlin
taking off on the Florida trip earlier
than planned, and notified Mr..
Straughan.
Suspecting something amiss, Mr..
Straughan called the Coughlin home
and learned he had not departed.
They then reported the plane theft
The partners identified a rain
coat found in the wreckage as Mr.
Coughlin's, but neither could ac-
count for the pilots cap. There was
only about an hour and a half's
supply of gasoline in the plane,
they said.
Investigators believe the plane was
taken up about $50 am. Hyatts-
vile police said they had a tele-
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