Bazaar, KS Knute Rockne and others Killed in Plane Crash, Mar 1931

ROCKNE KILLED IN CRASH

NOTED FOOTBALL COACH AND SEVEN OTHERS ARE VICTIMS OF ACCIDENT.

ROCKNE of Notre Dame and Seven Passengers of Trans-Continental and Western Airplane Killed Near Bazaar, Kan. -- Ship Crashed in Flames Following Explosion, According to Youth Who Witnessed Accident -- ROCKNE Enroute to California to Make Feature Picture -- Sport World Mourns Loss of Great Mentor.

Kansas City, March, 31 -- (AP) -- KNUTE ROCKNE, famous football coach of Notre Dame university, and seven others were killed when a Trans-Continental and Western air passenger and mail plane crashed in flames today in a pasture several miles southwest of Bazaar, Kas.
ROCKNE boarded the plane here en route to California at 9:15 a. m. and about 11 a. m. the ship identified by its department of commerce license number, crashed and burned as it fought a fog and storm en route to Wichita, Kas.
The body of ROCKNE and the other victims had not been definitely identified at the scene, but it was certain the noted coach was a passenger on the wrecked air liner and that all those aboard had been killed.
The passenger list announced here:
KNUTE ROCKNE.
H. J. CHRISTANSEN, Chicago.
J. H. HOOPER, Chicago.
W. B. MILLER, Hartford, Conn.
F. GOLDTHWAITE, New York.
C. A. LOBRECH, Chicago.
The pilots were ROBERT FRY and JESS MATHIAS.
The plane exploded in midair and fell to earth in flames, witnesses said.
EDWARD BAKER witnessed the explosion and saw the plane plunge as he was feeding cattle in the pasture a short distance away on the farm of his father, SEWARD BAKER.
BAKER found five bodies when he reached the plane. He notified an undertaking establishment at Cottonwood Falls. Ambulances rushed to the scene over muddy roads which impeded their progress.
Although muggy weather made flying hazardous, the ten passenger Fokker air liner took off here this morning with passengers and a cargo of mail.

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