The Edgar Sun (Edgar, NE) Fri., June 14, 1946 - Page 1
Donald Strawser Killed
In Midair Mishap Saturday
Two Civil Aeronautics Administration officials are here to investigate the midair crash of two light training planes which fell in an oats field northeast of the municipal airport Saturday afternoon, taking the lives of two student pilots, one of whom was taking his first solo flight.
Those killed were:
Donald R. Strawser, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rancie C. Strawser of Edgar.
Warren Froschheuser, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Froschheuser, 511 south (sic) Burlington, Hastings.
It was the first fatal airplane accident involving the Hastings airport since October 7, 1940, when Ray Beebe, owner of the Beebe Air Service and manager of the airport, was killed in a crash while giving advanced flight instruction to a student in the civilian pilot training program. Neither crash occurred on the airport.
The planes Saturday collided at 300 to 400 feet in the air a few seconds after one of the craft had taken off and the other was entering the traffic pattern north and east of the field.
Hitting at a 90-degree angle, the impact ripped the wing from one plane, knocking both out of control and sending them careening to the ground, witnesses said. They crashed about 100 yards apart in a wheat field on the Elmer Kort farm, one mile north and a quarter mile east of the airport and Twelfth street (sic) corner. Neither plane caught fire.
Both Die Immediately
Both the boys were killed almost instantly. Dr. O. A. Kostal, cummoned (sic) to the scene immediately after the accident, pronounced both pilots dead on his arrival.
See Planes Hit
At least three persons, an airport employee, a soldier visiting in Hastings and another student pilot, viewed the crash and raced to the two piles of wreckage.
They were Bob Eldred, airport employe (sic), of 821 north (sic) St Joseph, who saw the crash from in front of the airport hangar; Corporal A. J. Gengler from Milwaukee, Wis., and Melvin Marian of 1918 west (sic) Third.
Corporal Gengler was driving down the road almost directly beneath the planes when they hit, and Marian was in front of the hangar.
First Solo Flight
Froschheuser, on his first solo flight, had taken off directly east and had gained sufficient altitude to make a lefthand turn to the north. His plane was traveling north when the crash occurred.
Strawser was flying west and was entering the traffic pattern or area and is believed to have been preparing to land.
I was standing in front of the hangar when they hit. I jumped intro a car and was the second one to reach the planes," Eldred said.
Corporal Gengler was the first to reach the wreckage. When the planes hit Gengler sent a girl with whom he was riding to the Kort farm about a quarter of a mile away to call for help, then ran to the planes. He said he realized that both the pilots were dead and attempted to get the bodies from the wreckage, but couldn't.
Otis Nelson, flight instructor, prior to the accident, had taken a check ride with Froscchheuser (sic) and had made four takeoffs and landings with his student before turning the plane over to him for his solo flight.
Nelson, standing out on the airfield, said he watched Froschheuser take off, then glances toward a mowing machine which was cutting weeds on the airfield. "I heard the crash and looked around. Both planes had crashed and I saw a piece of fabric and metal floating to the ground. All I could see was the wreckage of one plane," Nelson said.
Strawser, a veteran, was taking flight instruction under the GI Bill of Rights and had logged about two hours of solo time before taking off on the fatal flight Saturday. He had entered a class which started on May 20.
Froschheuser's wrist watch was torn off by the crash and was found by a spectator about 40 feet from the crashed plane.
Airport officials put guards on the planes immediately and notified Civilian Aeronautics Administration officials at Lincoln.
Froschheuser was born June 5, 1929, in Hastings. He was a member of the First Congregational church (sic) and the Order of DeMolay. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Froschheuser; a sister, Mrs. Lila Stevens of New York City, who is enroute to Hastings for services; and a grandmother, Mrs. Katie Froschheuser of Hastings.
Funeral services were held Wednesday at 10:30 at the Congregational church *sic) with the Rev. Peter Vos officiating. Burial was at Parkview cemetery. (sic).
Investigators for the Civil Aeronautics Administration board Tuesday issued a statement following the collision of the two training planes at the municipal airport Saturday afternoon.
Making the investigation were Joseph Fallin, CAA inspector from Lincoln, and R. A. Reed of Denver, Colorado, senior air safety investigator. Cause of the accident was laid to the failure of both student pilots to see the other plane. The report made by the investigators stated that both planes were in the traffic pattern of the airport.
After talking with airport officials and witnesses to the crash, Reed made the following statement:
"There was no indication of mechanical failure of either airplane occuring (sic) prior to the crash. There was no evidence of fire or explosion either in the air or following the accident. As near as could be ascertained both planes were in the traffic pattern for the Hastings airport but for reasons unknown failed to see each other with the resulting collision."
-----Hastings Daily Tribune.
Funeral services for Donald Strawser were held Wednesday afternoon.
Contributor: Jan Plambeck (46975511) • [email protected]
Donald Strawser Killed
In Midair Mishap Saturday
Two Civil Aeronautics Administration officials are here to investigate the midair crash of two light training planes which fell in an oats field northeast of the municipal airport Saturday afternoon, taking the lives of two student pilots, one of whom was taking his first solo flight.
Those killed were:
Donald R. Strawser, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rancie C. Strawser of Edgar.
Warren Froschheuser, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Froschheuser, 511 south (sic) Burlington, Hastings.
It was the first fatal airplane accident involving the Hastings airport since October 7, 1940, when Ray Beebe, owner of the Beebe Air Service and manager of the airport, was killed in a crash while giving advanced flight instruction to a student in the civilian pilot training program. Neither crash occurred on the airport.
The planes Saturday collided at 300 to 400 feet in the air a few seconds after one of the craft had taken off and the other was entering the traffic pattern north and east of the field.
Hitting at a 90-degree angle, the impact ripped the wing from one plane, knocking both out of control and sending them careening to the ground, witnesses said. They crashed about 100 yards apart in a wheat field on the Elmer Kort farm, one mile north and a quarter mile east of the airport and Twelfth street (sic) corner. Neither plane caught fire.
Both Die Immediately
Both the boys were killed almost instantly. Dr. O. A. Kostal, cummoned (sic) to the scene immediately after the accident, pronounced both pilots dead on his arrival.
See Planes Hit
At least three persons, an airport employee, a soldier visiting in Hastings and another student pilot, viewed the crash and raced to the two piles of wreckage.
They were Bob Eldred, airport employe (sic), of 821 north (sic) St Joseph, who saw the crash from in front of the airport hangar; Corporal A. J. Gengler from Milwaukee, Wis., and Melvin Marian of 1918 west (sic) Third.
Corporal Gengler was driving down the road almost directly beneath the planes when they hit, and Marian was in front of the hangar.
First Solo Flight
Froschheuser, on his first solo flight, had taken off directly east and had gained sufficient altitude to make a lefthand turn to the north. His plane was traveling north when the crash occurred.
Strawser was flying west and was entering the traffic pattern or area and is believed to have been preparing to land.
I was standing in front of the hangar when they hit. I jumped intro a car and was the second one to reach the planes," Eldred said.
Corporal Gengler was the first to reach the wreckage. When the planes hit Gengler sent a girl with whom he was riding to the Kort farm about a quarter of a mile away to call for help, then ran to the planes. He said he realized that both the pilots were dead and attempted to get the bodies from the wreckage, but couldn't.
Otis Nelson, flight instructor, prior to the accident, had taken a check ride with Froscchheuser (sic) and had made four takeoffs and landings with his student before turning the plane over to him for his solo flight.
Nelson, standing out on the airfield, said he watched Froschheuser take off, then glances toward a mowing machine which was cutting weeds on the airfield. "I heard the crash and looked around. Both planes had crashed and I saw a piece of fabric and metal floating to the ground. All I could see was the wreckage of one plane," Nelson said.
Strawser, a veteran, was taking flight instruction under the GI Bill of Rights and had logged about two hours of solo time before taking off on the fatal flight Saturday. He had entered a class which started on May 20.
Froschheuser's wrist watch was torn off by the crash and was found by a spectator about 40 feet from the crashed plane.
Airport officials put guards on the planes immediately and notified Civilian Aeronautics Administration officials at Lincoln.
Froschheuser was born June 5, 1929, in Hastings. He was a member of the First Congregational church (sic) and the Order of DeMolay. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Froschheuser; a sister, Mrs. Lila Stevens of New York City, who is enroute to Hastings for services; and a grandmother, Mrs. Katie Froschheuser of Hastings.
Funeral services were held Wednesday at 10:30 at the Congregational church *sic) with the Rev. Peter Vos officiating. Burial was at Parkview cemetery. (sic).
Investigators for the Civil Aeronautics Administration board Tuesday issued a statement following the collision of the two training planes at the municipal airport Saturday afternoon.
Making the investigation were Joseph Fallin, CAA inspector from Lincoln, and R. A. Reed of Denver, Colorado, senior air safety investigator. Cause of the accident was laid to the failure of both student pilots to see the other plane. The report made by the investigators stated that both planes were in the traffic pattern of the airport.
After talking with airport officials and witnesses to the crash, Reed made the following statement:
"There was no indication of mechanical failure of either airplane occuring (sic) prior to the crash. There was no evidence of fire or explosion either in the air or following the accident. As near as could be ascertained both planes were in the traffic pattern for the Hastings airport but for reasons unknown failed to see each other with the resulting collision."
-----Hastings Daily Tribune.
Funeral services for Donald Strawser were held Wednesday afternoon.
Contributor: Jan Plambeck (46975511) • [email protected]
The Edgar Sun (Edgar, NE) Fri., June 14, 1946 - Page 1
Donald Strawser Killed
In Midair Mishap Saturday
Two Civil Aeronautics Administration officials are here to investigate the midair crash of two light training planes which fell in an oats field northeast of the municipal airport Saturday afternoon, taking the lives of two student pilots, one of whom was taking his first solo flight.
Those killed were:
Donald R. Strawser, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rancie C. Strawser of Edgar.
Warren Froschheuser, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Froschheuser, 511 south (sic) Burlington, Hastings.
It was the first fatal airplane accident involving the Hastings airport since October 7, 1940, when Ray Beebe, owner of the Beebe Air Service and manager of the airport, was killed in a crash while giving advanced flight instruction to a student in the civilian pilot training program. Neither crash occurred on the airport.
The planes Saturday collided at 300 to 400 feet in the air a few seconds after one of the craft had taken off and the other was entering the traffic pattern north and east of the field.
Hitting at a 90-degree angle, the impact ripped the wing from one plane, knocking both out of control and sending them careening to the ground, witnesses said. They crashed about 100 yards apart in a wheat field on the Elmer Kort farm, one mile north and a quarter mile east of the airport and Twelfth street (sic) corner. Neither plane caught fire.
Both Die Immediately
Both the boys were killed almost instantly. Dr. O. A. Kostal, cummoned (sic) to the scene immediately after the accident, pronounced both pilots dead on his arrival.
See Planes Hit
At least three persons, an airport employee, a soldier visiting in Hastings and another student pilot, viewed the crash and raced to the two piles of wreckage.
They were Bob Eldred, airport employe (sic), of 821 north (sic) St Joseph, who saw the crash from in front of the airport hangar; Corporal A. J. Gengler from Milwaukee, Wis., and Melvin Marian of 1918 west (sic) Third.
Corporal Gengler was driving down the road almost directly beneath the planes when they hit, and Marian was in front of the hangar.
First Solo Flight
Froschheuser, on his first solo flight, had taken off directly east and had gained sufficient altitude to make a lefthand turn to the north. His plane was traveling north when the crash occurred.
Strawser was flying west and was entering the traffic pattern or area and is believed to have been preparing to land.
I was standing in front of the hangar when they hit. I jumped intro a car and was the second one to reach the planes," Eldred said.
Corporal Gengler was the first to reach the wreckage. When the planes hit Gengler sent a girl with whom he was riding to the Kort farm about a quarter of a mile away to call for help, then ran to the planes. He said he realized that both the pilots were dead and attempted to get the bodies from the wreckage, but couldn't.
Otis Nelson, flight instructor, prior to the accident, had taken a check ride with Froscchheuser (sic) and had made four takeoffs and landings with his student before turning the plane over to him for his solo flight.
Nelson, standing out on the airfield, said he watched Froschheuser take off, then glances toward a mowing machine which was cutting weeds on the airfield. "I heard the crash and looked around. Both planes had crashed and I saw a piece of fabric and metal floating to the ground. All I could see was the wreckage of one plane," Nelson said.
Strawser, a veteran, was taking flight instruction under the GI Bill of Rights and had logged about two hours of solo time before taking off on the fatal flight Saturday. He had entered a class which started on May 20.
Froschheuser's wrist watch was torn off by the crash and was found by a spectator about 40 feet from the crashed plane.
Airport officials put guards on the planes immediately and notified Civilian Aeronautics Administration officials at Lincoln.
Froschheuser was born June 5, 1929, in Hastings. He was a member of the First Congregational church (sic) and the Order of DeMolay. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Froschheuser; a sister, Mrs. Lila Stevens of New York City, who is enroute to Hastings for services; and a grandmother, Mrs. Katie Froschheuser of Hastings.
Funeral services were held Wednesday at 10:30 at the Congregational church *sic) with the Rev. Peter Vos officiating. Burial was at Parkview cemetery. (sic).
Investigators for the Civil Aeronautics Administration board Tuesday issued a statement following the collision of the two training planes at the municipal airport Saturday afternoon.
Making the investigation were Joseph Fallin, CAA inspector from Lincoln, and R. A. Reed of Denver, Colorado, senior air safety investigator. Cause of the accident was laid to the failure of both student pilots to see the other plane. The report made by the investigators stated that both planes were in the traffic pattern of the airport.
After talking with airport officials and witnesses to the crash, Reed made the following statement:
"There was no indication of mechanical failure of either airplane occuring (sic) prior to the crash. There was no evidence of fire or explosion either in the air or following the accident. As near as could be ascertained both planes were in the traffic pattern for the Hastings airport but for reasons unknown failed to see each other with the resulting collision."
-----Hastings Daily Tribune.
Funeral services for Donald Strawser were held Wednesday afternoon.
Contributor: Jan Plambeck (46975511) • [email protected]
Donald Strawser Killed
In Midair Mishap Saturday
Two Civil Aeronautics Administration officials are here to investigate the midair crash of two light training planes which fell in an oats field northeast of the municipal airport Saturday afternoon, taking the lives of two student pilots, one of whom was taking his first solo flight.
Those killed were:
Donald R. Strawser, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rancie C. Strawser of Edgar.
Warren Froschheuser, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Froschheuser, 511 south (sic) Burlington, Hastings.
It was the first fatal airplane accident involving the Hastings airport since October 7, 1940, when Ray Beebe, owner of the Beebe Air Service and manager of the airport, was killed in a crash while giving advanced flight instruction to a student in the civilian pilot training program. Neither crash occurred on the airport.
The planes Saturday collided at 300 to 400 feet in the air a few seconds after one of the craft had taken off and the other was entering the traffic pattern north and east of the field.
Hitting at a 90-degree angle, the impact ripped the wing from one plane, knocking both out of control and sending them careening to the ground, witnesses said. They crashed about 100 yards apart in a wheat field on the Elmer Kort farm, one mile north and a quarter mile east of the airport and Twelfth street (sic) corner. Neither plane caught fire.
Both Die Immediately
Both the boys were killed almost instantly. Dr. O. A. Kostal, cummoned (sic) to the scene immediately after the accident, pronounced both pilots dead on his arrival.
See Planes Hit
At least three persons, an airport employee, a soldier visiting in Hastings and another student pilot, viewed the crash and raced to the two piles of wreckage.
They were Bob Eldred, airport employe (sic), of 821 north (sic) St Joseph, who saw the crash from in front of the airport hangar; Corporal A. J. Gengler from Milwaukee, Wis., and Melvin Marian of 1918 west (sic) Third.
Corporal Gengler was driving down the road almost directly beneath the planes when they hit, and Marian was in front of the hangar.
First Solo Flight
Froschheuser, on his first solo flight, had taken off directly east and had gained sufficient altitude to make a lefthand turn to the north. His plane was traveling north when the crash occurred.
Strawser was flying west and was entering the traffic pattern or area and is believed to have been preparing to land.
I was standing in front of the hangar when they hit. I jumped intro a car and was the second one to reach the planes," Eldred said.
Corporal Gengler was the first to reach the wreckage. When the planes hit Gengler sent a girl with whom he was riding to the Kort farm about a quarter of a mile away to call for help, then ran to the planes. He said he realized that both the pilots were dead and attempted to get the bodies from the wreckage, but couldn't.
Otis Nelson, flight instructor, prior to the accident, had taken a check ride with Froscchheuser (sic) and had made four takeoffs and landings with his student before turning the plane over to him for his solo flight.
Nelson, standing out on the airfield, said he watched Froschheuser take off, then glances toward a mowing machine which was cutting weeds on the airfield. "I heard the crash and looked around. Both planes had crashed and I saw a piece of fabric and metal floating to the ground. All I could see was the wreckage of one plane," Nelson said.
Strawser, a veteran, was taking flight instruction under the GI Bill of Rights and had logged about two hours of solo time before taking off on the fatal flight Saturday. He had entered a class which started on May 20.
Froschheuser's wrist watch was torn off by the crash and was found by a spectator about 40 feet from the crashed plane.
Airport officials put guards on the planes immediately and notified Civilian Aeronautics Administration officials at Lincoln.
Froschheuser was born June 5, 1929, in Hastings. He was a member of the First Congregational church (sic) and the Order of DeMolay. Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Froschheuser; a sister, Mrs. Lila Stevens of New York City, who is enroute to Hastings for services; and a grandmother, Mrs. Katie Froschheuser of Hastings.
Funeral services were held Wednesday at 10:30 at the Congregational church *sic) with the Rev. Peter Vos officiating. Burial was at Parkview cemetery. (sic).
Investigators for the Civil Aeronautics Administration board Tuesday issued a statement following the collision of the two training planes at the municipal airport Saturday afternoon.
Making the investigation were Joseph Fallin, CAA inspector from Lincoln, and R. A. Reed of Denver, Colorado, senior air safety investigator. Cause of the accident was laid to the failure of both student pilots to see the other plane. The report made by the investigators stated that both planes were in the traffic pattern of the airport.
After talking with airport officials and witnesses to the crash, Reed made the following statement:
"There was no indication of mechanical failure of either airplane occuring (sic) prior to the crash. There was no evidence of fire or explosion either in the air or following the accident. As near as could be ascertained both planes were in the traffic pattern for the Hastings airport but for reasons unknown failed to see each other with the resulting collision."
-----Hastings Daily Tribune.
Funeral services for Donald Strawser were held Wednesday afternoon.
Contributor: Jan Plambeck (46975511) • [email protected]
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