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Derby, CO Training Plane Crash, Dec 1951

Posted October 19th, 2007 by Stu Beitler

UAL Training Crash Fatal to Trio at Derby.

Derby, Colo., Dec. 4 – (AP) – A United Air Lines DC-3 training plane crashed on the federal reservation of the Rocky Mountain arsenal today, killing all three men aboard.

They were a pilot-captain and two student pilots receiving training. The plane had taken off from Stapleton municipal airfield at Denver about 6:30 a. m., MST, and crashed an hour later.

This was only 20 hours after a B-29 bomber from Lowry air force base plunged into an exclusive Denver residential area, killing eight airmen.
Today's crash was about five miles northeast of Denver. The weather was clear and mild.

United Air Lines identified the victims as J. D. KOCHER, the instructor; LAWRENCE G. WILSON, 28, of Dallas and WAYNE G. MOHN, El Cerrito, Calif. No address for KOCHER was immediately available.

Witnesses said the craft struck the ground in an open field of the arsenal area in a long glide, ripping a long furrow. It bounced about 15 feet in the air, then smashed into the ground. It did not catch fire.

All three men were hurled forward in the nose of the plane.

The crash was within a fenced area of the government reservation but was at least a mile from any buildings.

The plane was one of several which the air lines sends off at hourly intervals for training of future pilots and co-pilots.

Crash equipment from Lowry air force base at Denver, home base of the bomber in yesterday's disaster, was sent to the scene.

The Greeley Daily Tribune Colorado 1951-12-04
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!

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