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Arlen Claron Nelson

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Arlen Claron Nelson

Birth
Manti, Sanpete County, Utah, USA
Death
10 May 1925 (aged 30)
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
Burial
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA Add to Map
Plot
Park 19-5
Memorial ID
View Source
Son of Andrew Clarence Nelson and Amanda Jensen

Married Leona Angeline Coulet, 25 November 1922

Reprinted in the Millard County Progress, Fillmore, Utah, 5/15/1925

AIRPLANE FALLS - THREE ARE DEAD

Former Air Mail Head and Passengers Killed in Crash Near Salt Lake City

Machine is Total Wreck; Heavy West Wind is Probable Cause of Machine Going Into Dizzy Tailspin

Salt Lake City - Arlen Claron Nelson, 30 years of age, former superintendent of the western division of the air mail service and a world war aviator and two passengers, Grant Christensen, 15, 122 North West Temple Street and Russell De Loge, 15, 128 North West Temple Street, were killed, May 10th, shortly after 1 o'clock when the Unger Aircraft company plane, piloted by Nelson, crashed near the Woodward Aviation field. The standard J-1 plane, in which the boys were carried without charge by Nelson took off in the face of a strong west wind. A quarter of a mile from the Ungar hangar, the plane side-slipped, went into a tailspin and crashed nose downward from an altitute of 150 feet to a flaming destruction just south of the Saltair speedway. The plane burst into flames and the unconscious pilot and boy passengers were so badly burned that identification of the charred bodies was difficult. The position of Nelson's body showed that he had made a heroic effort to right the place. Efforts were made by Kenneth H. Unger, William F. Erickson, William Maxfield and H.G. Drake, air mail mechanics and Carl Helberg to rescue Nelson and the two boys.

Nelson was first taken from the blazing ruins and the bodies of the two boys were recovered just before the auxiliary gas tank exploded with a force that sent a blast of flames from thirty to forty feet. The rescuers endangered their lives in futile but heroic efforts to extricate the bodies from the gasoline ignited inferno. Nelson and the two passengers died from burns, but all three were unconscious after the plane struck the ground.

Examination by Dr. John J. Galligan, attending surgeon at the emergency hospital, showed that the skills of both boys were fractured and that Nelson suffered a concussion of the brain and possible internal injuries. Death is believed to have come quickly to the boys. Nelson died in about twenty minutes without regaining consciousness.

The standard J-1 plane, made by the Standard Aircraft Corporation and equipped with a K-6 Curtiss motor had not been in the air more than five hours, Mr. Unger, owner of the plane said. Mr. Nelson was not employed by the Unger Aircraft company. He was an experienced aviator and on Saturday had taken a flight in the plane with Mr. Unger. The two boys had long wanted to take an airplane ride and had walked to the aviation field. After waiting around for a half an hour the two youngsters, who had been befriended by Mr. Nelson in the past, readily accepted the kindly offer of Claron to take a ride. A quarter of a mile had been covered when a strong gust of wind caught the plane, turning to the southwest. A side-slip followed. The plane went into a tailspin, revolved but once and crashed nose downward for 150 feet.
Son of Andrew Clarence Nelson and Amanda Jensen

Married Leona Angeline Coulet, 25 November 1922

Reprinted in the Millard County Progress, Fillmore, Utah, 5/15/1925

AIRPLANE FALLS - THREE ARE DEAD

Former Air Mail Head and Passengers Killed in Crash Near Salt Lake City

Machine is Total Wreck; Heavy West Wind is Probable Cause of Machine Going Into Dizzy Tailspin

Salt Lake City - Arlen Claron Nelson, 30 years of age, former superintendent of the western division of the air mail service and a world war aviator and two passengers, Grant Christensen, 15, 122 North West Temple Street and Russell De Loge, 15, 128 North West Temple Street, were killed, May 10th, shortly after 1 o'clock when the Unger Aircraft company plane, piloted by Nelson, crashed near the Woodward Aviation field. The standard J-1 plane, in which the boys were carried without charge by Nelson took off in the face of a strong west wind. A quarter of a mile from the Ungar hangar, the plane side-slipped, went into a tailspin and crashed nose downward from an altitute of 150 feet to a flaming destruction just south of the Saltair speedway. The plane burst into flames and the unconscious pilot and boy passengers were so badly burned that identification of the charred bodies was difficult. The position of Nelson's body showed that he had made a heroic effort to right the place. Efforts were made by Kenneth H. Unger, William F. Erickson, William Maxfield and H.G. Drake, air mail mechanics and Carl Helberg to rescue Nelson and the two boys.

Nelson was first taken from the blazing ruins and the bodies of the two boys were recovered just before the auxiliary gas tank exploded with a force that sent a blast of flames from thirty to forty feet. The rescuers endangered their lives in futile but heroic efforts to extricate the bodies from the gasoline ignited inferno. Nelson and the two passengers died from burns, but all three were unconscious after the plane struck the ground.

Examination by Dr. John J. Galligan, attending surgeon at the emergency hospital, showed that the skills of both boys were fractured and that Nelson suffered a concussion of the brain and possible internal injuries. Death is believed to have come quickly to the boys. Nelson died in about twenty minutes without regaining consciousness.

The standard J-1 plane, made by the Standard Aircraft Corporation and equipped with a K-6 Curtiss motor had not been in the air more than five hours, Mr. Unger, owner of the plane said. Mr. Nelson was not employed by the Unger Aircraft company. He was an experienced aviator and on Saturday had taken a flight in the plane with Mr. Unger. The two boys had long wanted to take an airplane ride and had walked to the aviation field. After waiting around for a half an hour the two youngsters, who had been befriended by Mr. Nelson in the past, readily accepted the kindly offer of Claron to take a ride. A quarter of a mile had been covered when a strong gust of wind caught the plane, turning to the southwest. A side-slip followed. The plane went into a tailspin, revolved but once and crashed nose downward for 150 feet.


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