Centerville, TN Plane Crashes Seeking Landing Area, Oct 1943

TEN PERSONS KILLED IN AIRLINER CRASH.

SEARCHING FOR LANDING SPOT, PLANE CRASHES.

Centerville, Tenn., Oct. 16 -- (U.P.) -- An American Airlines plane circled desperately for many minutes over dense forests in search of a landing place last night, suddenly zoomed high into the air and then plummeted to the bottom of a deep gulch, killing all 10 persons aboard, eye-witnesses said today.
The dead:
Crew members:
Capt. DALE R. DRYER, Cleveland, pilot; First Officer W. J. BRAND, Cleveland; Capt. ROBERT GAY, Memphis; Stewardess MARGARET JEWELL SCHMUCK, Akron, Ohio.
Passengers:
W. H. CLARK, JR., Dallas, Tex.; BLAN R. MAXWELL, Memphis; Aviation Cadet G. A. HOLLINGSWORTH, Memphis; D. E. MILLER, Memphis; MARVIN RISEN, Nashville; Capt. STUART GAYNESS, a through passenger en route from Washington, D. C.
Witnesses who viewed the wreckage said the plane did not burn.
"It was just crumpled up like you'd take a paper bag and blow it up and then bust it," Justice of the Peace W. M. AYDELOTTE said.
Woodsmen saw the plane in trouble and heard the crash but failed to report it, presumably because there are no telephones in the area, AYDELOTTE said.
The crumpled plane was found this morning by JOHN DURISON, woodcutter, who was going to a neighbor's home to borrow a team of mules. As he walked along a thicket-crowded dirt road at the top of the gulch he glanced over the side and saw the huge transport near the bottom.

The Star Anniston Alabama 1943-10-17

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