Crash Into Sea

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 23, 11 February 1937, Page 5

Crash Into Sea

h— Press Afsn.-

ELEVEN KILLED

Queer Features to U.S. Air Fatality MILLIONAIRE DEAD

(By Telegrrap

-Copyrieht.)

(Received 11, 8.45 a.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 10. A transport plane with eleven ahoard plunged into the bay en route from Los Angeles to the airport here. The splash and roar was heard in a village three miles away. Coastguard and police hoats rushed to the scene and placed flares in the water but no sign of the plane could he found. The water is extremely deep there. Ofiicials of the airline are puzzled to explain the cause owing to the cleax skies. The eleven occupants have been given up as dead. Eight of them were representative of wealth, society and business, ineluding Mr. Mark Fontana, the petroleum millionaire. The huge 21-passenger Douglas airliner was later found floating upside down and partially submerged. Efforts to tow it ashore were unsuccesaful and a derrick and diver were orderid to the screen. Ambulances and doctors remained throughout the night at the airpoft, aithough it seemed certain that the occupants were dead, The ship apparently landed on its nose and hurtled back. The fuselage appeared intact but the tail was badly smashe'd, Experienced pilots suggest that the pilot, Tommy Thompson, a veteran flyer, misjudged his altitude. The dispatcher at the airport stated that he had conversed by wireless with Thompson and gave him landing instructions. He was then amazed to see the aeroplane circle and head out to sea. Since December 15, 43 persons have been killed in five crashes in the Far West.