Evening star., 1952-04-05
Two-Engine Ship
Drops Like Bomb
In PopuIous Section
By the Associated Press

a bomb into densely populated
Queens today, wreaking flaming
havoc on homes and killing at
least five persons.
The big plane, its motors roar
ing. dived out of rain-darkened
sky, and hit the earth with a
thunderous explosion.
It ripped through the middle of
the two-story frame house,
glanced into cruising police car,
then barreled in blazing frag-
ments into two other homes.
Hurting missiles and spewing
gasoline spread fire and wreckage
over a block-long area in the
heart of the residential Jamaica
section of Queens. 10 miles east
Of midtown New York.
A dozen cars in parking lot
and street were smashed. One was
tipped on its top by the blast. A
truck blew up.
Tried Instrument Landing.
The Cas- Curtis Commando
plane, owned by the United States
Airlines, a cargo carrier, was try
ing for an instrument landing at
New York International Airport,
on Queens south edge.
Eyewitnesses said wings of the
plane appeared to fold downward
lust before the SmaShup.
Both of the two-man crew, the
pilot, Capt. William B. Crockett,
and the co-pilot, John Woerder-
hoff, both of Fort Lauderdale.
Fla, were killed.
Police Inspector Thomas Boy
Ian died in the smashed police
car. Bodies of three residents were
removed from the wrecked build
ings. Others leaped from win
dows, or fled from doorways.
Seven injured were hospitalized.
Police earlier had said at least
seven perished.
Today's crash turned more than
q block long area into Scorching
inferno.
The tragedy was in the area Of
Queens skirted on the north side
by busy La Guardia Field and on
the south by International Air
port.
Casualty Stations Set Up.
Six casualty stations. two Of
them in garages. were set up in
the area. Police said all Of them
were "very crowded"
The Red Cross blood center
rushed 80 units Of blood plasma
and SO pints of whole blood to
Queens General Hospital.
Joseph o. Fluet. Civil Aeronau-
tics Board inspector, and assist
ants were on the scene. seeking to
retrieve as many pieces of the
broken plane as possible for study.
Three hours after the crash the
building fires were out, but col
umns of smoke and steam still
floated up into the rain.
Hundreds of rescue workers dug
through shattered buildings and
other wreckage. Fire hoses Snaked
in cluttered confusion about the
streets.
Women's dresses and lingerie,
either blown from houses or the
planes cargo, hung from limbs
and telephone wires.
Heavy Rain Falling.
A heavy rain was falling, but
airport officials said a visibility of
2 miles and a ceiling of 400 feet
prevailed, adequate for landing.
United States Airlines, cargo
carrier, said it believed the plane
was one of its Gas transports,
with a crew of two. inbound from
Fort Lauderdale. Fla.
At the scene immense clouds Of
smoke swelled into the rain
streaked air, and flames leaped
through the smoke.
Center of the crash was at in
terSection at One-hundred sixty
ninth street and Eighty eighth
avenue, Jamaica, near a busy
subway terminal.
Overhead wires were knocked
down.
Smoke Obscures Area.
"a smoking tire from the plane
lay in the middle of street.
Witnesses said the clouds of
smoke rolling up from the plane
obscured the neighborhood for
some time after the crash so it
was difficult to determine at first
just which buildings were af1re.
Parts of the plane were strewn
on the streets as far away as
169th street.
An International Airport spokes-
(See PLANE, Page A-30