Date & Time:
May 1, 1935 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
Registration:
NC891E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pueblo – El Paso
MSN:
73
YOM:
1929
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While approaching Rattlesnake Butte at a height of 150 feet, the pilot decided to overfly the school of the village to drop a letter for the children. While completing a sharp turn to the right, the aircraft lost altitude, causing the right wing to hit the ground. The aircraft crashed and was destroyed. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Nothing was found to indicate that either plane or engine were not functioning normally. A letter found in the wreckage, evidently written by the pilot, requested the school children of Rattlesnake Butte to write him and let him know how close to the door of the school he had dropped the letter. It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident was an accidental collision with the ground while doing low flying in violation of the Air Commerce Regulations.
