Little Valley, NY Some Survive Airliner Crash, Dec 1951

26 KILLED, 14 SURVIVE AIRLINER CRASH IN NEW YORK.

INJURED TAKEN TO SALAMANCA FOR TREATMENT.

ONE PASSENGER LEAVES PLANE TO SEEK HELP.

Little Valley, Dec. 31 (AP) -- The missing Pittsburgh to Buffalo unscheduled airliner was found today in wild country in Southwestern New York and 14 survivors were brought to safety.
There were 40 persons on the plane when it left Pittsburgh Saturday night.
Removed on Sled.
The Cattaraugus County sheriff's office said the most injured of the survivors were brought out thru dense underbrush on a sled arrangement towed by a tractor.
There were 13 survivors still at the wreckage when rescue workers got thru to the crash site. One passenger had walked out of the rugged country in search of help and reported the plane's location.
All the injured were being taken to Salamanca District Hospital. The first to arrive there was identified by the hospital as MRS. ANNA PISO, 51, Grafton, Pa.
MRS. PISO was listed on a passenger list released earlier. Her address on the list was given at 51 Bradford ave., Grafton. However, her name was not given by the survivor who walked out.
Condition 'Good'.
Hospital attendants said MRS. PISO was suffering shoulder and leg injuries and that her condition was good.
The survivor who pushed his wasy thru dense undergrowth with the first word of the crashed plane's location was GEORGE ALBERT, Miami, Fla. His mother, MRS. ELIZABETH ALBERT, 46, was killed.
ALBERT, 30, told The Associated Press by telephone that he left the scene of the crash shortly after 11 a.m. He reached the farmhouse of CHARLES BRYANT. He called police from there.
ALBERT said the plane crashed about 10:25 p.m. Saturday.
He said the survivors huddled around a fire all of yesterday and last night near the wrecked plane. One passenger, WILLIAM BESCHOS, tried to make his way out for help yesterday, but could not get thru, ALBERT said.
Albert Injured.
ALBERT said he was bruised and injured but that his injuries were the least of any of the survivors. He said he could not say how badly hurt he was but that he was about to enter a hospital for observation.
According to ALBERT, as quoted by the sheriff's office, the other survivors included these whose names were listed on earlier passenger lists.
MRS. LOUISE ATKINSON, hospital superintendent, said all 14 were suffering shock and some had broken bones and lacerations.
She said there were no cases of suffering from exposure. She did not give individual injuries.
The list of survivors as given by the hospital:
MRS. MARY MESSERLOS, Pittsburgh, Pa.
MRS. MARIE NORCHIA, Pittsburgh, Pa.
MRS. ANNA PISO, Crafton, Pa.
GEORGE ALBERT, Miami, Fla.
DOLORES BESHEARS, stewardess, Miami, Fla.
MISS MARY BATTISTA, Weirtown, W. Va.
MISS EVA WOODWARD, Miami.
JOSEPH WOZNIAK, Canonsburg, Pa.
ALBERT DICHAK, Canonsburg, Pa.
ROBERT GEYER, Pittsburgh, Pa.
THOMAS PATTERSON, New Castle, Pa.
PEARL MOON, stewardess, Miami.
EDWARD WESSEL, Pittsburgh.
Lt. WILLIAM BISCHOL, USN, Johnstown, Pa. and Key West, Fla.
Cattaraugus County Sheriff MORGAN L. SIGEL said the plane crashed two miles off off Saw Mill road, a country road thru some of the most rugged country in New York state.
The C-46 plane, owned by Continental Charters, Inc., of Miami, took off from Pittsburgh at 9:47 p.m. Saturday.
Extensive searches were being conducted in both Northern Pennsylvania and Western New York state when ALBERT called police.
There were seven crew members on the plane when it left Pittsburgh. Three were reported to be riding to Syracuse, where they were to pick up another plane.
According to the civil aeronautics board J. C. WEBBER of Miami was the plane's pilot, but Continental President JOHN A. BELDING said Capt. VICTOR HARRIS of Miami was in charge.
Neither WEBBER'S nor HARRIS' name was on the list of survivors, SIGEL reported from ALBERT.
First word of the finding of the wreckage and ALBERT'S report to police came thru SIGEL'S office where he relayed the information by walkie-talkie radio.
The plane is the same type as the one that crashed as Elizabeth, N. J., Dec. 16, killing all 56 aboard it.

The Post-Standard Syracuse New York 1952-01-01

List Of Casualties
Taken from The Bradford Era Pennsylvania 1952-01-02
MRS. DOROTHY BERMAN BRUCE, 27, 164 King St. East, Kingston, Ont.
JOHN R. JONES, 31, 310 Vermont Ave., Fairmont, W. Va.
MRS. MARGARET A. JONES, 30, his wife.
MRS. GERTRUDE A. McCLAIN, 55, 454 Grant St., Morgantown, W. Va.
MISS MARGARET B. MYERS, 36, Hickory, Pa.
GUS ATHAS, a co-pilot, of Miami.
MRS. AUDREY MALCOLM, 24, of 21 Webb St., Lockport, N. Y.
ROY C. HEMPHILL, 19, 1726 1/2 Ridge Ave., Coraopolis, Pa.
S-2c RICHARD A. WILSON, USN, 21, Sharon, Pa.
Capt. VICTOR HARRIS, the pilot, Miami, Fla.
Capt. J. C. WEBBER, extra pilot, Miami.
MISS DOLORES HARVEY, a stewardess, Miami.
MRS. ANN FRANKELL, 5676 Melvin St., Pittsburgh.
JUDY FRANKELL, 3, her daughter.
MARK FRANKELL, 6, her son.
JOHN OPAR, 717 Lowry St., Jeannette, Pa.
BENJAMIN M. SIEGEL, 6814 Linden Lane, Pittsburgh.
HANS E. RUTZEBECK, 32, a co-pilot, Miami.
Sgt. DAVID E. ARNOLD, USA, 23, 5931 Southwest 50th Terrace, Miami.
MISS LAVERNE KROLL, 1047 Lappish Rd., Pittsburgh.
Cpl. RICHARD J. MARTIN, USMC, 20, of 22 Hayward St., Buffalo.
ROY H. McCLAIN, 59, husband of the MRS. McCLAIN whose body is at Middleton's. 454 Grand St., Morgantown, W. Va.
JEFFREY EVANS, 14 months, the McCLAINS' grandson.
MISS PHYLLIS PALUZZI, 57 Southeast 54th Ave., Hialeah, Fla.
MRS. JAY PENMAN, Carnegie, Pa.
MRS. ELIZABETH ALBERT, 46, of 139 Northwest 17th St., Miami.

__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!