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R CRASH HERE KILLS PASSENGER

zette

MORRISTOWN 

Mail

MEMBER 
ASSOCIATED PRESS
and
AUDIT BUREAU OF
CIRCULATIONS

PAPER-DEVOTED TO THE PROGRESSIVE UPBUILDING OF MORRISTOWN AND HAMBLEN COUNTY
2ND YEAR, NO. 143     Telephone 173     205 Main Street, Morristown, Tenn *** FIVE CENTS

Pilot Critical; Had Refueled at Murrell Field
By W.O. HELMS
A new helicopter crashed Monday afternoon on its take-off at Morristown's Municipal Airport, killing one of the occupants instantly and seriously injuring the pilot.
Davis L. McNeil, 49, manager of the Powell Valley Electric Co-op, was dead on arrival at M-H Hospital. Pilot Jack Ryan was in serious condition when removed from the craft.
Both are from Jonesville Va., headquarters of the electric co-operative which purchased the $40,000 Bell 47-G-2 copter only a few weeks ago to use for inspection of power lines.
CAB To Investigate
A civil Aeronautics Board representative will arrive in Morristown today from Miami, Florida, to investigate the crash which is said to be the first aircraft accident in fifteen years in the Morristown area in which anyone was injured.
Mrs. Bryan Saved Pilot
Mrs. Evelyn Bryan, co-operator of the Morristown Flying Service and manager of the airport here, was the only person at Murrell Field at the time of the accident and was instrumental in saving the pilot. She crawled under the swirling blades to shut off the motor as smoke poured from the broken craft.
Mrs. Bryan, herself a veteran plane pilot and one of four women helicopter instructors in the United States, said that the copter landed here at 1:42 p. m. to refuel as it had on several previous occasions. 

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Filled Gas Tanks
She filled the gas tanks which hold 41 gallons, as well as two extra 5 gallon tanks strapped on the rear of the place. Following refueling, Ryan and McNeil climbed into the copter for the take-off.
As Mrs. Bryan watched from the door  of the airport building, the copter rose about fifty feet, then banked to the right in a steep turn. The pilot didn't seem to have room in which to turn, she said, for the copter plunged toward the ground at an angle.
Mrs. Bryan ran over to the wreckage 250 away from where the two 35-foot copter blades were still revolving rapidly. The motor did not fail, and Mrs. Bryan had to shut it off when she reached the cockpit.
Both Still In Plane
Both occupants were still in what remained of the copter. Ryan complained of pains in his back, and Mrs. Bryan did not attempt to remove him until ambulance arrived. Pilot Ryan, who is 33 and had been a copter pilot in the service, had a broken back and hip. He was transferred from M-H Hospital to Fort Sanders Hospital in Knoxville. 
Mrs. Bryan said she understands that Ryan has logged about 2,000 hours flying the wingless ships. He is just back from the Bell plant at Fort Worth, Texas, where he took a course in helicopter maintenance.
Mrs. Bryan herself returned to Morristown only last week after spending three weeks at Fort Worth in getting her helicopter instructress rating.
Used To Check Lines
The Powell Valley Electric Co-op used the new Bell copter to check its power lines. Yesterday the craft had been in the Tazewell area and was on its way back when the crash occurred.
The expensive aircraft bad had only 40 hours in the