William E. Kline

FATALITIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY
U. S. Air Mail Service, 1918 - 1927

Name -- Photos	Position	Date	Plane	Circumstances
Carl B. Smith	Pilot	Dec. 16, 1918	DH-97	Inexperience of pilot on this type of ship.
August Thiele	Mechanic	Jan. 8, 1919	-------	Struck on head with propeller while starting engine.
Frank McCusker	Pilot	May 25, 1919	DH-61	Jumped from plane at altitude of 200 feet at first indication of fire.
Chas. W Lamborn	Pilot	July 19,1919	DH-82	Lost control of plane in fog at low altitude.
Lyman W. Doty	Pilot	Oct. 14, 1919	R-32	Struck tree attempting forced landing during low visibility.
John P. Charlton, Jr.	Pilot	Oct. 30,1919	DH-77	Nosed over on forced landing. Wrecked plane.
Clayton W. Stoner	Pilot	Mar. 10, 1920	DH-65	Ran into tree in fog. Plane caught fire when it crashed.
Harry C. Sherlock	Pilot	Mar. 30, 1920	DH-72	Ran into smoke stack on factory near field. Plane caught fire.
Richard W. Wright	Pilot	Apr. 10, 1920	R-49	Riding with another pilot on ferry trip; jumped or fell from plane when it caught fire.
Clarence Stapleton	Clerk	Apr. 11,1920	JN4D	Riding with pilot in unauthorized flight; fell in tail spin and crashed.
W. J. McCandless	Div. Supt.	May 12, 1920	DH-79	Riding with pilot on ferry trip. Struck tree on landing to find way.
N. C. Montis	Mechanic	June 6, 1920	Martin 204	One motor stopped just after leaving field; plane crashed.
Charles Nanista	Helper	Aug. 8, 1920		Struck on head with propeller.
Robert Gautier	Pilot	Aug. 16, 1920	DH-31704	Struck radio mast while practicing landings in rain. Plane crashed and caught fire.
Max Miller	Pilot	Sept. 1,1920	JL-305	Plane caught fire in air and crashed.
Gustav Reierson	Mechanic	Sept. 1, 1920	JL-305	Riding with Max Miller.
Walter H. Stevens	Pilot	Sept. 14, 1920	JL-308	Plane caught fire in air; landed safely but tank exploded before pilot and mechanic could get out.
Russell L. Thomas	Mechanic	Sept. 14,1920	JL-308	Riding with Walter Stevens.
Frederick A. Robinson	Pilot	Sept. 27,1920	DH-31697	Ran into heavy cables across river.
Bryan McMullen	Pilot	Oct. 16, 1920	DH-76	Stalled, crashed and caught fire while making forced landing in fog.
John P. Woodward	Pilot	Nov. 6,1920	DH-178	Ran into hill side in fog and snow storm.
Kenneth M. Stewart	Pilot	Feb. 3,1921	Twin-DH	One motor cut out, plane stalled and crashed.
William M. Carroll	Pilot	Feb. 9,1921	JL-301	Carroll piloting plane; Rowe and Hill passengers. Cause unknown.
Hiram H. Rowe	Pilot	Feb. 9,1921	JL-301	Riding with Carroll to learn route.
Robert B. Hill	Mechanic	Feb. 9,1921	JL-301	Riding with Carroll.
William E. Lewis	Pilot	Feb. 22,1921	DH-67	Stalled plane on take-off.
Elmer R. Vanatta	Pilot	April 22, 1921	DH-160	In attempting to land went into vertical bank; Crashed and caught fire.
James T. Christensen	Pilot	April 29, 1921	DH-196	Motor cut out; in attempting to land in river hit concrete abutment; ship burned.
Walter M. Bunting	Pilot	May 5,1921	DH-176	Nose-dived in making landing; plane crashed and burned.
Howard F. Smith	Pilot	July 16,1921	DH-222	Nose-dived in leaving field; plane burst into flames as it crashed.
Walter J. Smith	Pilot	Sept. 8,1922	DH-227	Fell into spin right after take-off.
Paul S. Oakes	Pilot	Jan. 18, 1923	DH-223	Motor failed during test hop over field. Crashed and burned.
W. R. Acer	Helper	Jan. 18, 1923	DH-223	Riding with pilot Oakes.
Elmer G. Leonhardt	Pilot	Feb. 27, 1923	DH-291	Struck fence during forced landing in dense fog; thrown from plane.
Harwell C. Thompson	Pilot	Sept.7, 1923	DH-283	Forced landing was made safely. While attempting to take off, made turn to avoid hitting cattle on fieJd; fell off on wing and crashed.
Howard C. Brown	Pilot	Dec. 6, 1923	DH-318	Defective welding of control stick; forced to land. Plane crashed and burned.
James F. Moore	Pilot	Dec. 24, 1923	DH-315	Ran into side of hill while flying low to avoid strong head winds above; plane wrecked. Pilot died in hospital several hours later .
Leonard B. Hyde-Pearson	Pilot	Mar. 7, 1924	DH-327	Forced landing in snow storm; struck trees; crashed and burned.
Wm. F. Blanchfield	Pilot	Aug. 1,1924	DH-297	Flying over cemetery during funeral of another air mail employee; plane went into spin, crashed and burned. (This was not an authorized flight .)
Clarence O. Gilbert	Pilot	Dec. 21, 1924	DH-311	Pilot jumped for reasons unknown; parachute failed to open.
Charles H. Ames	Pilot	Oct. 1,1925	DH-385	Ran into mountain in fog; plane wrecked; pilot, with skull crushed, found after several days' search.
Arthur Roy Smith	Pilot	Feb. 12, 1926	Curtiss-602	Struck tree; plane crashed and burned.
John F. Milatzo	Pilot	April 22, 1927	626	Snow and sleet collected on plane; force-landed at night; plane crashed and burned.