Home
History Index
Air Mail Pilots
Photo Gallery
Flight Info
Antique Airplanes
Members
Newsletters
Museums/Books
Collectors
Questions
Links Page
Contact Us

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.

History | Air Mail Pilots | Photo Gallery | Flight Info | Antique Airplanes | Members
Newsletters | Museums/Books | Collectors | Questions
| Links | Home Page

copyright © 1999 Nancy Allison Wright, President Air Mail Pioneers


 
search on our site
sitemap