Evening star., 1949-12-13
Air Crash Killing
A and Injuring 19
Being Investigated
continued From First Page.)

an long period, officials said.
Aviation authorities said the
plane was caught in one Of the
worst fog conditions they had seen
here. Conditions were described
as approximately minimum-400-
foot ceiling and visibility about
three quarters of mile.
A series of fortunate factors
kept fatalities unusually low.
The fact that the planes wheels
apparently had been retracted,
and that it landed in about five
feet of water, probably saved many
lives. Most of the passengers
might have drowned in 10 feet OF
water. Wheels in landing position
might have turned the plane over.
Many of the survivors were serv-
icemen en- route home for the
holidays-men accustomed to act
ing calmly under pressure.
An early report by CAB investi-
gators said the plane was coming
into the airport under double
electronic guidance. It had the
usual electronic beams on its own
instrument panel and CAA officials
at the airport control tower were
monitoring the approach on a
radar screen.
CAA's control tower officials
said they were monitoring the
plane just before $40. A minute
later they said. the plane suddenly
turned off to the right, disappear
ing entirely from the radar screen.
Seconds later the plane reap
peared on the lower right edge of
the screen. showing it was about
$500 feet off course to the right.
CAA said tower officials radioed
the pilot to get back on the beam.
That was all we ever heard or
saw of him on the panel" CAA
officials said.
The official said he could not
determine whether the pilot veered
to avoid hitting something, but
pointed out that the only obstruc-
ton to the airport from that ap-
proach was the Braddock Light &
Power Co.
Injured Treated at Boiling.
Not the least spectacular part
of the crash was the way the
Boiling Base crash ward func-
toned. Held in readiness for
such an emergency. the ward was
used for all the injured.
Operations were performed i'm
mediately on patients in their
beds. This was made possible by
a crash cart" carrying equipment
for four surgeons from bed to
bed. The cart was designed by
Mai. Howard Lawrence. chief Of
surgeons at Boiling.
The shrilling of perhaps 20
ambulances called into action.
blocking Of roads by police to
make emergency lanes and a
hurried search for the exact crash
scene added to the early confusion.
Hampered by Gasoline.
Four crash boats from Boiling,
operating in the inky. peasoup fog,
did heroic work in pulling out the
injured. Rescuers we're hampered
not only by the fog. but by the
fact that broken gasoline tanks
spilled fuel and fumes throughout
the area. making use Of torches
and hacking devices too danger
GUS.
After the fuel had cleared away,
Navy divers hacked at the metal
and removed the pilot and CO.
pilots bodies, the last about 4 am.
One of the first on the scene
was j. H. Carmichael. president of
Capital Airlines.
The airline reported that the
crash was the first involving one
of its planes since June 13, 1947-|
tIlC ACCoUUlS NVd.p Vi dSll hlllll1S OU.
Since then the airline had flown a
total of 45,153, 1881 plane miles and
799.219.153 passenger miles, while
carrying 2,708. .814 passengers with
out an accident, officials said.
Cries Guide Rescuers.
Corpl. Kenneth Rutowski, 10, of
Chicago. actually saw the crash.
Adding to other factors holding
the death toll to minimum, this
gave the Boiling rescue teams a
quick jump, for Corpl. Rutowski
is a member Of the rescue boat
section.
Corpl. Rutowski said he was
walking from the dock to his bar
racks when he saw the plane fly
ing at about 40 feet. then heard
the pilot "gun the engines" A
LOST.
BLACK HANDBAG, vicinity 2sth st. Sc,