Evening star., 1949-10-28
-Four Americans Killed
AsAmphibianC Crashes
AT London S Airport
BY the Assoclafsd Press

BY the Assoc1ofed PresS
LONDON, Oct. 28.-Four Amer
leans. including two officials OF
the Superior Oil Co., were killed
today when a twin-engine am
phibian plane crashed and burned
taking off from London airport
Two Britishers aboard the plane
also were killed in the crash
There was one survivor, an Amer
lean member of the crew.
The American dead were identi-
fled as:
Robert Allen. about As. vice
president in charge of Superior Is
foreign operations. Los Angeles
James Lewis, 40, attorney, Los
Angeles.
Capt. Joseph Jordan, the planes
pilot, San Fernando, Calf.
Andrew Cole, wireless operator
Long Beach, Calf.
The British dead were Sir Hugh
Weightman. so. and w. j. Horne,
about 40. British officials of the
Central Mining Investment Trust
of London.
Co-Pilot Hurled so feet.
The surviving co-pilot, Earl Os-
car Sivage, was hurled so feet
from the plane. He was taken to
West Middlesex Hospital, where a
physician said he had extensive
burns on his face and legs, but
there was no anxiety over his con-
dition. The doctor said Mr..
Sivage suffered some shock.
The plane was used on a shuttle
run between London and the Near
East. 1t was owned by the oil
company, which has headquarters
in Los Angeles. The Royal Dutch
Air Lines (KLM) acted as agents
for the aircraft. which was an
American Grumman Mallard.
One witness said the plane
seemed to get into some sort of
trouble, but the pilot appeared to
be trying to land her. Then she
bumped and burst into flames"
Airport officials believed an en-
gine cut out before the plane
could gain height. The plane
buried itself in mud at the edge
of the airport and burst into a
furious blaze, flaming so intensely
that flremen and rescue workers
could not Immediately approach
the wreckage.
Fire Brigades Called.
An emergency call brought fire
brigades from several nearby Mid
dlesex towns. AS soon as the
wreckage cooled. the bodies were
pulled clear.
His head and face heavily band
aged. MIR. Sivage told reporters:
My pants were burnt off and I
am anxious to get in touch with
an official Of my company because
I haven't any clothes"
He saved his life by rolling in
rain puddles to douse the fire in
his clothes.
1--WE were gong down the run
way when all at once the plane
started swerving to the left" Mr..
Sivage said.
Il found myself standing on
my head with my safety belt still
fastened, it happened so quickly.
my clothes and my hair were
on fire when I let myself out of
my safety belt. There was moth
ing I could do after I left the
plane as it was all in flames.
Il had had my head down
watching the instruments for the
takeoff and they were all o. K.
Cockpit Broken Open.
II think the cockpit must have
busted open because I felt the
pilot, Joseph Jordan, thrown over
,me.
LAS soon as I let off my safety
belt, I plunged forward and fell
clear of the aircraft. But I fell
into fire.
II put the flames out by rolling
in rain puddles on the runway.
THE plane was on fire imme-
diately after the crash. After
got clear I picked myself up and
went around to see if I could do
anything for the pilot. but he
was engulfed in flames"
Mr.. Sivage. a married man with
two children, said he had flown
about 100000 miles in the plane
in the last eight months. The
group, he said, was headed for
Rome and Cairo ION oil business. I"
This time. said Mr.. Sivage, "the
plane was never fully airborne."
Il have no idea what went
wrong" he said.
British officials began an in
vestigation.
A live torpedo recently was
hooked and actually landed by a
fisherman at Venice, Italy.