Evening star., 1953-06-17
Board Probes
Plane Crash
Near School
Chute FoiIs to Open,
Killing Andrews Pilot;
ZOO Pupils ImperieId

A board of inquiry today was
conducting an investigation into
the crash Of an F-86D Sabrejet
fighter in the woods about 800
yards behind the Forestville
(Md.) Elementary School yes
terday afternoon.
About 200 students in the
school were imperiled, but none
Of the youngsters was injured.
When the accident occurred,
around $3.50 pm, school had Just
been dismissed for the day. Most
Of the pupils were waiting for
buses. Some were playing ball.
The pilot Of the fast, high
altitude aircraft, who was killed
instantly, was Capt. Francis T..
Evans. 81. Of. 1101 Barnaby ter
race Sc. An experienced pilot
and veteran of ia missions in
World War II, he apparently
crashed the ship in the woods
to avoid striking the school or
the playground nearby, accord
Ing to witnesses.
Morningside Case.
The accident again highlighted
the controversial proposal that
Andrews Air Force Base, where
the plane was based, be used for
commercial purposes. The trag-
edy also recalled the accident two
years ago in Morningside, Md,
about 3 miles away, when q
pilotless light bomber crashed
into a house and killed three
people.
Yesterdays spectacular crash
was the result Of hydraulic trou-
BILE, a spokesman at Andrews said
last night. The pilot had made
a normal approach to land at
Andrews. about 2 miles away
from the school area. The An
drews' tower had this last word
from Capt. Evans:
Have negative hydraulics"
This could have prevented nor
NAL operation of landing gear, as
well as otherwise crippled the
aircraft. 4
Regular Approach Route.
On reporting to the tower,
Capt. Evans was flying in the
prescribed landing pattern; it
was understood. Witnesses said
the school is directly under an
approach air lane which planes
use regularly.
The plane probably did not ex-
plode in midair. as was first re-
ported. When the plane struck the
ground, it sheared on trees, then
exploded and burned. Firemen
sprayed the wreckage with foam.
The wreckage was strewn over
q 200-foot area. Part Of the in
strument panel lay near the edge
Of the playground.
When the Sabrejet was be-
tween 500 and 1000 feet over
the woods on the edge Of the
playground, Capt. Evans ap-
parently elected himself from
the plunging fighter. However,
his parachute did not open, and
he fell to his death. His body
was found about so feet from the
wrecked aircraft.
Routine Flight.
The plane was on a routine
solo flight. It was attached to
the 95th Fighter -1nterceptor
Squadron at Andrews. The unit
is part Of the Eastern Air De-
tense Command.
Several Of the children were
among : witnesses to the crash.
Melvin Gent, II, q fifth-grade
student. was among those playing
ball on the playground, which is
halfway between the edge Of the
woods and the school itself.
II saw the airplane when it
was about 200 feet high," said
Melvin. II saw the pilot jump,
but his parachute never opened.
Fred SpinkS. 40, president Of
the Forestville Citizens Associa-
tion and q leader in the fight to
keep commercial airliners out Of
Andrews, also was an eyewitness.
He was driving home from Wash
ington at the time. His house
is about 1000 feet from the crash
area.
Mrs. Ruth Scott of 55O6 Park.