The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-12-20
Pilots Quick Action
 Saves 85 Passengers From Flaming Death
Luxury Craft Collide 2,OOO Feet in Air

Washington, Dec. 20 - (UPD - Government air inspectors said to- day that only "one chance in a million" saved 85 persons from flaming death last night when two big luxury airliners collided at 2O0O feet over Aberdeen, Md.
 The two New York-to-M planes-one operated by Eastern AirlineS, the other by Universal Air- lines-ripped one another at terrific speed. But thanks largely to quick-thinking Eastern pilot, the two ships broke loose without seri- ous injury to the 8s passengers and crew members aboard them.
 A few of the passengers aboard the Universal plane suffered bruises and abrasions. Aboard the Eastern airliner, three-year-old Beverly Ann Bouton of Baldwin, L. l., N. Y., was the only casualty. She suffered slight bump on the head.
 Question of Inches
 Shaken passengers said it was "just a question of three inches" either way that kept the two planes from colliding full-on and turning into flaming coffins for passengers and crew alike.
 Civil AeronauticS Administration officials, who immediately began an investigation, said upon examining the planes that passengers in both escaped death by only one shot in a million.
 The EAL liner, a four-engined DC-4. left New York yesterday afternoon crowded with 56 holiday bent passengers and four crew members. The crash forced 1t to tor- 20 it's scheduled nonstop flight to Miami and to stagger into Wash ington National Airport with its undercarriage ripped and its eleva- tors wobbly.
 The Universal plane, a twin-en- zine DC-3, carried p passengers 2l Puerto Ricans and l9-year-old Miss Lois Greybill of Washington State-and three crew members. IL crash landed at Philips Army F1eld. Aberdeen. just below the' scene ot the collision.
 Pilot Suffers LaceratiOnS
 One ,midetified woman stumbled and fell as she alighted from the Universal plane and had to be taken to the hospital. A babe in arms es- caped injury, but the Universal CO., nilot-Eugene Harvey of Miami Beach - suffered heavy lacerations on the face and neck.
 All 56 passengers of the Eastern airliner boarded another plane at ll:O9 o'clock last night to resume their trip to Miami Universal Air Lines said it intended to pick up Its passengers at Aberdeen today. Most of them spent the night at Havre de Grace, Md.
 The collision took place at 6:07 P. M. in the blackness above bril- liantly- Lighted Philips Field. The Eastern Airlines plane was stream ing along at 230 miles an hour at an altitude of 1000 feet when sud- denly the Universal plane, banking for a landing, loomed out Of the night and headed directly for the side of the Eastern ship.
 Eastern Airlines Capt. Joseph Kuhn of Miami said the quick thinking of his co-pilot R. J. Brown. also of Miami. saved the 85 persons aboard the two ships.
 Pulls Plane Up
 Brown saved the day." Kuhn told reporters. T was at the controls at the time and didn't see the other plane at all. Brown saw it, literally grabbed the controls out of my hands and tried to pull us out of it.
 He pulled us up bit, but could nit get us out of the way entirely"
 Brown said the Universal plane was "only about two seconds away" when he spied it. Eastern Airlines said the Universal ship was bank ing for a landing at Philips Field.
 Hydraulic System Broken
 The top of the Universal planes cabin ripped through the under side of Eastern fuselage. Capt Henry Norris of Cambridge, Mass, pilot of Universal's DC-3, said the impact broke his planes hydraulic fluid system and sprayed the fluid over passengers and crew.
 StewardesS of the Universal plane was Miss Joan Cotton, 24, of Or snge, N. J. She quieted the passen- gers and prevented any panic.
 Norris told his superiors in Miami oy telephone that he failed to see he Eastern airline plane until the