Evening star., 1948-06-18
Probers Study
'DC-6 Debris in
Which 43Died
Crash Cause Sought
In Scattered Ruins
Near Mt. CurmeI, Pa.
By the Associated Press

MOUNT CARMEL, Pa, June
10. Investigators searched
through the scattered wreckage
of a United Air Lines DC-6 to-
day, seeking the cause Of the
crash that took the lives of 43
persons, including that of Earl
Carroll, theatrical producer.
F, The big airliner, en- route from San
Diego, Calf, to New York, plowed
into q 6o,ooo-volt power line and
exploded in flames yesterday after
noon near this Eastern Pennsylvania
anthracite community.
In New York, the air line said
it still had not the slightest ink
ling" as to the cause of the crash.
The emergency landing attempt
was made after one engine caught
fire.
Fourth Worst U. S. Crash.
The tragedy was the fourth worst
plane crash in domestic air line
history. The three others were last
years. died at Port Deposit, Md:
81 at Bryce Canyon, Utah, and so
in the Blue Ridge Mountains near
Leesburg, Va.
Besides Mr.. Carroll. other nota-
bles on the plane included Beryl
Wallace, striking brunette showgirl
and star of Mr.. Carroll's Hollywood
revue. She was coming East on a
vacation after a television appear
ance the night before the plane
crash.
Also aboard were Reno Bufano.
noted maker of marionettes and
puppets; Mrs. Venita Warden Oakie,
divorced wife of Film Comedian
Jack Oakie; Henry L. Jackson Of
New York, mems fashion editor of
Golfers magazine; and Parker w.
Silzer of Metuchen. N. j., only son
of the late Gov. George S. Silzer
Of New Jersey.
Tried to Pancake.
Witnesses said the giant craft,
manned by crew of four, appar-
entity tried to pancake safely on a
black hill of coal dust and water
near this Eastern Pennsylvania
anthracite coal town.
The craft limped at half-speed
into valley dotted with anthracite
collieries. Capt. George Warner, jr.,
Of Westmont, ILL.,. guided his ship
miles between two hills. He was
scarcely 80 feet above ground.
Stunned miners saw the nose Of
the plane veer upward, too late. 1t
shattered against the power line
and exploded. Bodies, baggage and
plane parts were strewn everywhere.
An area the size of three city
blocks was charred by the fire.
The carburetor from one of the
engines was found on Big Noun
tain. about 1900 feet from the
wreck.
Bodies Torn Beyond Recognition!
The wreckage sprawled over an
acre of woodland. The bodies-39
passengers, including two infants.
and four crew members-were
burned and torn, many beyond rec
ognition. Their belongings were
scattered everywhere.
1t was nearly "a hours after the
crackup that the first bodies were
identified.
Those identified were: Mrs. Joy
Marcus, Chicago; Nathan Berke.
Brooklyn; Rowland Brown, New
York, and Hans Joachim, San Fran
cisco.
Joseph Gallagher, chief burgess
Of nearby Centralia, said none of
the bodies was intact. There isn't
one whole body in, the place." he
said after inspecting the temporary
morgue set up there.
Thorough Investigation Promised.
TT is as bad a mess as I have
ever seen," said Joseph o. Fluett.
chief of Region / of the Civil Aero
nautics Board. Mr.. Fluett arrived
from New York a few hours after
the disaster to head the CABS in
vestigators.
He was joined by experts from the
United Air Lines, Douglas Aircraft
Co.. manufacturers of the big plane.
and the Air Line Pilots Association.
They searched through the wreck
age until midnight last night and re-
turned to the task this morning.
"We expect to conduct a thorough
and complete investigation, but I
can see we're going to run into diff
culties because the disintegration Is
so complete" Mr.. Fluett said.
We'll use the process Of elimina-
ton, sorting the most obvious rea-
(See DEG, Page A-3D