The following news report courtesy of Pam R. (#46923349).
Blue Mountain Eagle Newspaper, John Day, Grant County, Oregon
October 5, 1961
Light Plane Crash Takes Five Lives
Five Palmdale, Calif. people, one a former John Day resident, lost their lives Thursday afternoon in the crash of a small single-engined plane near Denio on the Oregon-Nevada border. The crash victims included Mrs. Gary L. Pierce, 21, the former Verna Jo Waterman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Waterman of John Day. Killed with Mrs. Pierce was here five-months-old son, Christopher Lee.
Other crash victims were Craig Wilson, the pilot, his wife, Edna, and his sister, Miss Bertha Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of Mrs. Paul H. (Harriett) Calverly of John Day. Wilson was the owner of the Topper Poultry company in Palmdale and a former president of the national organization, the Flying Farmers.
The plane disappeared Thursday on a flight from Reno, Nev. to John Day. According to information received in John Day, the Ryan Navion four-passenger plane left Quartz Hill field at Lancaster, near Palmdale, Calif., Thursday morning. The plane landed at Reno to refuel. The pilot filed a flight plan at Reno, indicating he planned to fly from Reno to John Day via Burns, and estimated arrival time in John Day at 7 p.m. The plane left Reno at 3:42 p.m. Thursday.
When the Californians failed to arrive in John Day Thursday night, Mr. and Mrs. Waterman and Mr. and Mrs. Calverly notified Philip Boyer, John Day pilot and operator of the local airport. Boyer contacted the Oregon State Board of Aeronautics in Salem, and he was instructed to organize a search unit. Several planes, based at the John Day airport, joined other pilots from Pendleton, Baker, Burns, and Reno, Nov. in searching for the lost craft the following morning.
The wrecked plane was sighted between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a personal friend of the pilot. The wreckage was on a flat area bordering the south side of Pueblo mountain, about 12 miles southwest of Denio on the Nevada side. Vaughn E. Michael, John Day pilot flying John F. Cawrse's plane, was notified by the Reno Civil Air Patrol unit. Michael, with William Shanley and Stanley Phillips of John Day as his observers, landed his craft on the road near the crash site, and made their way to the scene.
Investigation revealed that Wilson had experienced engine failure about 175 miles from Reno and had attempted to make a landing. Strong 60-mile-per-hour winds blew white alkalai dust from a dry lake bed and his visibility was impaired. It is thought he made a safe and normal ground landing but impaired visibility and engine failure hindered him in detecting a drainage ditch nearby, and the plane struck the ditch and overturned, landing on its top. All occupants were trapped in the wrecked craft and killed instantly. A check of the plane showed a large hole in the crankcase and two rods missing from the engine.
Blue Mountain Eagle Newspaper, John Day, Grant County, Oregon
October 5, 1961
Light Plane Crash Takes Five Lives
Five Palmdale, Calif. people, one a former John Day resident, lost their lives Thursday afternoon in the crash of a small single-engined plane near Denio on the Oregon-Nevada border. The crash victims included Mrs. Gary L. Pierce, 21, the former Verna Jo Waterman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Waterman of John Day. Killed with Mrs. Pierce was here five-months-old son, Christopher Lee.
Other crash victims were Craig Wilson, the pilot, his wife, Edna, and his sister, Miss Bertha Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of Mrs. Paul H. (Harriett) Calverly of John Day. Wilson was the owner of the Topper Poultry company in Palmdale and a former president of the national organization, the Flying Farmers.
The plane disappeared Thursday on a flight from Reno, Nev. to John Day. According to information received in John Day, the Ryan Navion four-passenger plane left Quartz Hill field at Lancaster, near Palmdale, Calif., Thursday morning. The plane landed at Reno to refuel. The pilot filed a flight plan at Reno, indicating he planned to fly from Reno to John Day via Burns, and estimated arrival time in John Day at 7 p.m. The plane left Reno at 3:42 p.m. Thursday.
When the Californians failed to arrive in John Day Thursday night, Mr. and Mrs. Waterman and Mr. and Mrs. Calverly notified Philip Boyer, John Day pilot and operator of the local airport. Boyer contacted the Oregon State Board of Aeronautics in Salem, and he was instructed to organize a search unit. Several planes, based at the John Day airport, joined other pilots from Pendleton, Baker, Burns, and Reno, Nov. in searching for the lost craft the following morning.
The wrecked plane was sighted between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a personal friend of the pilot. The wreckage was on a flat area bordering the south side of Pueblo mountain, about 12 miles southwest of Denio on the Nevada side. Vaughn E. Michael, John Day pilot flying John F. Cawrse's plane, was notified by the Reno Civil Air Patrol unit. Michael, with William Shanley and Stanley Phillips of John Day as his observers, landed his craft on the road near the crash site, and made their way to the scene.
Investigation revealed that Wilson had experienced engine failure about 175 miles from Reno and had attempted to make a landing. Strong 60-mile-per-hour winds blew white alkalai dust from a dry lake bed and his visibility was impaired. It is thought he made a safe and normal ground landing but impaired visibility and engine failure hindered him in detecting a drainage ditch nearby, and the plane struck the ditch and overturned, landing on its top. All occupants were trapped in the wrecked craft and killed instantly. A check of the plane showed a large hole in the crankcase and two rods missing from the engine.
The following news report courtesy of Pam R. (#46923349).
Blue Mountain Eagle Newspaper, John Day, Grant County, Oregon
October 5, 1961
Light Plane Crash Takes Five Lives
Five Palmdale, Calif. people, one a former John Day resident, lost their lives Thursday afternoon in the crash of a small single-engined plane near Denio on the Oregon-Nevada border. The crash victims included Mrs. Gary L. Pierce, 21, the former Verna Jo Waterman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Waterman of John Day. Killed with Mrs. Pierce was here five-months-old son, Christopher Lee.
Other crash victims were Craig Wilson, the pilot, his wife, Edna, and his sister, Miss Bertha Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of Mrs. Paul H. (Harriett) Calverly of John Day. Wilson was the owner of the Topper Poultry company in Palmdale and a former president of the national organization, the Flying Farmers.
The plane disappeared Thursday on a flight from Reno, Nev. to John Day. According to information received in John Day, the Ryan Navion four-passenger plane left Quartz Hill field at Lancaster, near Palmdale, Calif., Thursday morning. The plane landed at Reno to refuel. The pilot filed a flight plan at Reno, indicating he planned to fly from Reno to John Day via Burns, and estimated arrival time in John Day at 7 p.m. The plane left Reno at 3:42 p.m. Thursday.
When the Californians failed to arrive in John Day Thursday night, Mr. and Mrs. Waterman and Mr. and Mrs. Calverly notified Philip Boyer, John Day pilot and operator of the local airport. Boyer contacted the Oregon State Board of Aeronautics in Salem, and he was instructed to organize a search unit. Several planes, based at the John Day airport, joined other pilots from Pendleton, Baker, Burns, and Reno, Nov. in searching for the lost craft the following morning.
The wrecked plane was sighted between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a personal friend of the pilot. The wreckage was on a flat area bordering the south side of Pueblo mountain, about 12 miles southwest of Denio on the Nevada side. Vaughn E. Michael, John Day pilot flying John F. Cawrse's plane, was notified by the Reno Civil Air Patrol unit. Michael, with William Shanley and Stanley Phillips of John Day as his observers, landed his craft on the road near the crash site, and made their way to the scene.
Investigation revealed that Wilson had experienced engine failure about 175 miles from Reno and had attempted to make a landing. Strong 60-mile-per-hour winds blew white alkalai dust from a dry lake bed and his visibility was impaired. It is thought he made a safe and normal ground landing but impaired visibility and engine failure hindered him in detecting a drainage ditch nearby, and the plane struck the ditch and overturned, landing on its top. All occupants were trapped in the wrecked craft and killed instantly. A check of the plane showed a large hole in the crankcase and two rods missing from the engine.
Blue Mountain Eagle Newspaper, John Day, Grant County, Oregon
October 5, 1961
Light Plane Crash Takes Five Lives
Five Palmdale, Calif. people, one a former John Day resident, lost their lives Thursday afternoon in the crash of a small single-engined plane near Denio on the Oregon-Nevada border. The crash victims included Mrs. Gary L. Pierce, 21, the former Verna Jo Waterman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Waterman of John Day. Killed with Mrs. Pierce was here five-months-old son, Christopher Lee.
Other crash victims were Craig Wilson, the pilot, his wife, Edna, and his sister, Miss Bertha Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of Mrs. Paul H. (Harriett) Calverly of John Day. Wilson was the owner of the Topper Poultry company in Palmdale and a former president of the national organization, the Flying Farmers.
The plane disappeared Thursday on a flight from Reno, Nev. to John Day. According to information received in John Day, the Ryan Navion four-passenger plane left Quartz Hill field at Lancaster, near Palmdale, Calif., Thursday morning. The plane landed at Reno to refuel. The pilot filed a flight plan at Reno, indicating he planned to fly from Reno to John Day via Burns, and estimated arrival time in John Day at 7 p.m. The plane left Reno at 3:42 p.m. Thursday.
When the Californians failed to arrive in John Day Thursday night, Mr. and Mrs. Waterman and Mr. and Mrs. Calverly notified Philip Boyer, John Day pilot and operator of the local airport. Boyer contacted the Oregon State Board of Aeronautics in Salem, and he was instructed to organize a search unit. Several planes, based at the John Day airport, joined other pilots from Pendleton, Baker, Burns, and Reno, Nov. in searching for the lost craft the following morning.
The wrecked plane was sighted between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a personal friend of the pilot. The wreckage was on a flat area bordering the south side of Pueblo mountain, about 12 miles southwest of Denio on the Nevada side. Vaughn E. Michael, John Day pilot flying John F. Cawrse's plane, was notified by the Reno Civil Air Patrol unit. Michael, with William Shanley and Stanley Phillips of John Day as his observers, landed his craft on the road near the crash site, and made their way to the scene.
Investigation revealed that Wilson had experienced engine failure about 175 miles from Reno and had attempted to make a landing. Strong 60-mile-per-hour winds blew white alkalai dust from a dry lake bed and his visibility was impaired. It is thought he made a safe and normal ground landing but impaired visibility and engine failure hindered him in detecting a drainage ditch nearby, and the plane struck the ditch and overturned, landing on its top. All occupants were trapped in the wrecked craft and killed instantly. A check of the plane showed a large hole in the crankcase and two rods missing from the engine.
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