Crash of a De Havilland DH.4 in Wright Patterson AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1918
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AS-32098
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wright Patterson AFB-Wright Patterson AFB
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4M in Dayton: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1918
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AS-32084
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dayton - Dayton
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants.
Crew:
Maj Oscar Brindley,
Lt Col Henry Damm.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after a spark plug got jammed between the wing's trailing edge and the aileron.