40 DEAD IN FLAMING UTAH AIR TRAGEDY; 50 SURVIVE.

JETLINER CRACKS UP ON AIRPORT RUNWAY.

By James C. Bapis
United Press International
Salt Lake City (UPI) -- A United Air Lines jetliner carrying 90 persons burst into flames Thursday night as it touched down at Salt Lake Municipal Airport. Forty died in the flaming wreckage.
A number of Utahns were among the dead and injured. At least three from Ogden and four from Hill Air Force Base perished.
The 50 survivors, many of them injured, broke windows, smashed open emergency doors or sat stunned in the inferno waiting for rescuers to rip into the plane with axes and torches. At lest four were trapped in a rear section for a half hour after the crash.
Those who managed to find an exit leaped to the ground or jumped onto the drooping wings of the sleek Boeing 727, then slid to the ground where they staggered or just slumped to the asphalt runway.
Amazed rescuers who reached the scene as black smoke and flames billowed from the wreckage, carried or helped some of the survivors walk away to safety.
Jammed Escape Doors.
"Everybody rushed for the doors before the plane stopped," declared Air Force Lt. JOHN SULLIVAN, who was the navigator on a C124 which collided with a small, private plane last Sunday over Tulsa, Okla., killing three persons. "Then panic started."
"One young fellow, a recent college graduate, tried to keep everyone calm, but he couldn't do it. I don't know if he survived."
The young officer from Malden, Mass., who is stationed at nearby Hill Air Force Base, was bitter.
He kept saying no one had "consideration for other people, no consideration whatsoever."
SULLIVAN reported some of the passengers "were packed at the exits, when I finally hit the ground. I thought the plane was going to explode so I ran."
Describes Scene.
The panic described by SULLIVAN, who lost three "close buddies" in the jet crash, was supported by a UAL ground worker who was among the first to reach the stricken jet.
"The passengers were screaming and trying to get to the rear exit," said the employe.
Twelve hours after the crash, United set the death figure at 40. All the victims had been trapped inside the plane. Their bodies were carried out several hours after the mishap.
However, Sgt. STANLEY CARTER, of the Utah Air National Guard, who headed the detail that removed the bodies from the burned hulk, said he counted and tagged 41 badly burned and mutilated bodies.
Thirty-six survivors of the New York to San Francisco flight were hospitalized, while 14 others were either unhurt or suffered minor injuries.
The pilot and co-pilot were given blood-alcohol tests by Salt Lake City police. An official at University Hospital said the tests were made only to clear up "rumors that intoxicants might be involved."
Chiefs Cooperate.
Pilot GALE C. KEHMEIER, 47, and co-pilot PHILIP SPICER, both of Denver, were termed "very cooperative and willing" by the officer who administered the test.
United spokesmen reacted angrily to the rumors, stating they had no foundation.
DR. GEORGE KIDERA, the airline's medical director, said the purpose of the test was to determine if the fliers had inhaled "toxic chemicals, such as rain repellant and other ingredients found in the cockpit."
The crash was the third in the past three months of the Boeing-built 727. The first occurred Aug. 17 when a United plane plunged into Lake Michigan, killing 30 persons. Earlier this week, an American Airlines 727 crashed while approaching Cincinnati, Ohio, killing 58.
CAB Studies Situation.
The Civil Aeronautics Board in Washington said no decision on grounding the planes would be made until investigators determined the cause of the latest crash. Boeing said in Seattle it has delivered 195 of the aircraft, which have carried nearly 13 million passengers a total of 165 million miles.
Investigators said today it was too early to decide the cause of the mishap. However, two factors under scrutiny were collapse of the airliner's main landing gear and the jet's apparent touchdown short of the runway.
Federal Aviation Agency officers at the airport's control tower said "normal conversation" transpired with the pilot before the crash.
An FAA spokesman in Washington said he believed this was the first time the entire crew -- the jet carried six members -- had survived a major airline tragedy. Whole crews have survived some lesser crashes, he said, but this accident was "a very unusual thing."
Relatives and friends of the plane's passengers clustered in the "horizon room" of the air terminal, clutching cups of coffee that slowly turned cold in their hands.
Priest Came.
A priest moved slowly through the group, giving comfort and encouragement, while a stewardess served coffee. The waiting relatives cried, prayed, or just waited motionlessly for word from airline officials on survivors.
Those who survived with only minor injuries, and were thus able to talk with newsmen, told similar stories:
"I unfastened my safety belt, pulled the window loose and got out," said FRED A. SORENSON of Salt Lake City.
"I darted across to the emergency door and with the help of another passenger, opened it. I then jumped from the plane," said LLOYD R. WALKER of Pocatello, Idaho.
"I dived through an open window onto a wing and through a sheet of flame," reported RALPH NESBITT of Santa Monica, Calif.
Many of the dead were still strapped in their seats when firemen broke into the plane. Others were crowded near exits where they were overcome by intense heat and flames.
The aircraft was making its fourth and final intermediate stop after landing at Cleveland, Chicago and Denver. Seventy persons, including the crew, boarded the plane at the Colorado city.
The ill-fated 727, which is powered by three jet engines in a cluster on the tail, approached Salt Lake from over the scenic Wasatch Mountains and touched down at the southern end of the main runway.
Among those killed were VERN R. STEFFENSEN, president of the First Security Bank of Idaho, and BILL LINDERMAN, a rodeo star.
Plane Hit Hard.
"The plane hit real hard when we landed," said MRS. GUSSIE MALLORY, 57, San Pablo, Calif. "It went this way and that -- back and forth. Then the lights went out and the smoke started pouring."
MRS. MALLORY broke both legs when she leaped from the burning plane. Her husband JOE, who followed her through the door, was uninjured.
DON CEDALA, a private pilot who witnessed the crash from the small craft section of the airport, said a "big ball of fire" appeared just as the plane touched down.
"The fire seemed to originate near the tail and went right up the fuselage," CECALA said. "It just burned and burned."
The searing flames nearly ate through the plane's fuselage, almost cutting it into two parts. Firemen broke into a compartment nearly half hour after the crash and rescued four survivors, who apparently were seated behind the spot where the flames broke out.
Co-pilot SPICER, who suffered back injuries when he jumped from the plane, said the landing seemed normal, although a little hard.
"For some unknown reason the plane began to fishtail," he added. "It then burst into flames."
The burning aircraft skidded several thousand feet and came to a stop just off the east side of the runway. One engine was ripped off and was lying 100 yards from the wreckage.
MRS. LYNDON DAY, 41, Arlington, Va., was the first passenger out of the burning craft.
"The emergency exit was next to the seat in front of me," she said. "I pushed open the emergency door and dove out. I landed on the wing, then slid off to the ground."
GEORGE A. GORINO, a Navy machinist from Emmett, Idaho, said he didn't panic until he saw the flames in the rear of the plane.
"I scrambled out an exit window," he said. "By then, the plane was completely englufed in flames."
An FBI disaster team was called to help identify the victims. "They were just skeletons strapped into seats," said one city fireman. "The flesh was completely burned off."

SURVIVORS, VICTIMS IN S.L. CRASH.
Salt Lake City (UPI) -- United Air Lines Friday released the following list of casualties from the Boeing 727 jet crash at Salt Lake City Municipal Airport.
Dead:
MRS. EDNA ALLRED, Moore, Okla.
MR. H. BLAISDELL, 1660 Horse St., St. Louis, Mo.
MRS. H. BLAISDELL, same address.
MASTER BLAISDELL, 11, same address.
MR. JOSEPH BROCCO, 2514 Argyle Ave., Butte, Mont.
MRS. L. LOWDIDGE, 168 W. 2700 S., Bountiful, Utah.
MR. A. D. BERRY, 1516 Hollywood Ave., Salt Lake City.
MR. S. S. BURNIS, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah.
MRS. MARVIN J. BENNETT, 119 Cowling St., Silverton, Ore.
MISS ROSA BENNETT, same address.
MISS CHRISTINA BENNETT, age 2, same address.
From Texas:
MRS. F. COMBS, 1019 Sunset, Amarillo, Tex.
MR. F. CROCK, 3030 S. Colorado Ave., Denver, Colo.
MRS. F. CROCK, same address.
MR. C. CALING, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah.
MR. S. FORNEY, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah.
MRS. SARAH FINE, 36th Lane Highway 96 East, Pueblo, Colo.
MR. J. FEIOCK, 2062 Susan Way, Salt Lake City.
MR. E. BRUCE GAMMIE, 27, 1441 Canterbury Lane, Glenview, Ill.
MR. J. CAVIN, 4961 Pershing St., St. Louis, Mo.
MR. FRED GOTTSCHALK, Lewiston, Idaho.
B. GALLANT, 1158 East 27th So., Salt Lake City.
MISS DEVA HARRIS, 1545 Kiesel Ave., Ogden, Utah.
FRED HART, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah.
Washington Victim:
MRS. A. D. HARLAN, 5715 Bow Dish Road, Spokane, Wash.
MRS. A. JACOBSON.
BILL D. LINDERMAN, 45, Golden, Colo.
MR. C. LEE, military.
MR. R. C. MANLEY.
MRS. EVELYN OLSON, 1545 Kiesel Ave., Ogden.
MR. H. PACK, 2901 Brittan, San Carlos, Calif.
MR. D. REID, 3131 S. 4355 W., Salt Lake City, Utah.
MR. P. J. RALLAS.
MR. VERNON R. STEFFENSEN, 4325 Audubon Place, Boise, Idaho.
MR. W. SHOEMAKER, 255 Nanchmont Dr., Los Gatos, Calif.
MR. R. STANSELL, 51 Water St., Watertown, Mass.
MR. H. VON BRETON, 4595 Via Huerto, Santa Barbara, Calif.
MRS. T. WEAVER, Pinedale, Wyo.
MRS. R. G. WHITAKER, 1075 Hislop, Ogden, Utah.
MR. J. WEBER, 425 North Howard, Moscow, Idaho.
Survivors Hospitalized:
WILLIAM OWEN, 37, 310 Linda Vista, Pasadena, Calif., satisfactory.
CLYDE BERG, 29, 53 N. Fairway, Pullman, Wash., good.
GUIDO O. DUBA, 44, Anaconda, Mont., good.
BILLIE D. ARMSTRONG, 45, Box 183, Roswell, N. M., serious.
KENNETH GEILER, 35, 10101 Foothill Dr., Lakeview, Calif., good.
FAYE JOHNSON, 28, Denver (stewardess), serious.
VICKIE COLE, 24, Aberdeen, Wash. (stewardess), good.
H. K. LESTER, 40, 13801 Pasadena, Santa Ana, Calif., satisfactory.
FRED A. SORENSON, 42, 2105 E. 3730 S., Salf Lake City, good.
DON MITTS, 47, 2016 Pasco Del Mar, San Pedro, Calif., serious.
RALPH H. DAWSON, 44, 1805 Breen Lane, Wilmington, Del., good.
MRS. BARBARA LUGO, 22, 1891 S. 2nd East, Salt Lake City, good.
MAX GALLIAN, 77, 127 North Dearborn, Chicago, serious.
ROSS BUCKWALTER, 26, 6 North 2nd West, American FOrk, Utah, serious.
ROY HODGE, 48, 4316 Conard, Salt Lake City, serious.
THEODORE W. FULMER, 61, 711 Maple, Anaconda, Mont., serious.
BARBARA ANN WIZER, 710 Laurel, San Mateo, Calif., (stewardess), good.
1st Lt. JOHN SULLIVAN, 25, Malden, Mass., and Ogden, Ut., fair.
Capt. G. C. KEHMEIER, Denver (pilot), satisfactory.
P. W. SPICER, 39 (first officer) Denver, satisfactory.
BRYAN WILLIAM BRABSTON, 122 Circle Dr., Millington, N. J., satisfactory.
Salt Lake Survivor:
ORSON NEBECKER, 1300 Montgomery St., Salt Lake City, satisfactory.
CHARLES R. ARENTSEN, Northside Cable Road, Anaconda, Mont., fair.
ANNETTE P. FOLZ, Aurora, Colo., (stewardess) serious.
L. D. HOLDERMAN, 7561 West Lawrence, Los Angeles, fair.
MR. RICHARD BROWN, 865 S. 500 E., Orem, Utah, fair.
CARL A. MITCHELL, 2615 Jasmine Dr., Denver, fair.
HARRIS ARNOLD, 6920 West, 14th St., Lakewood, Colo., fair.
KEITH TYNER, 5717 Northwest 48th St., Oklahoma City, good.
MR. MELVIN WILSON, 2125 Sunnybank Dr., Los Angeles.
DONALD KENEALY, 910 N. 900 E., Bountiful, Utah, critical.
MARVIN J. BENNETT, 35, 119 Cowling, Silverton, Ore., poor.
LEROY JOHN, 4147 South 825 West, Bountiful, Utah, poor.
J. R. FRAZER, 1555 Paul Dr., Saratoga, Calif., critical.
MRS. GUSSIE MALLORY, 57, 1713 Bush, San Pablo, Calif., fair.
E. C. SINNIARD, 1350 Washington Blvd., Pasadena, Calif., critical.
Treated And Released:
RAY YERKES, 1240 Rosebriar, Springfield, Mo.
CHICAKA J. SHIMURA, 29, Tokyo, Japan.
MILLER REAM, 31, 2203 Divisadero, San Francisco.
GEORGE SMITNEY, 6849 Locust, Kansas City, Mo.
WILLIAM E. DRIPPS, 26, Motley, Minn., stationed in Navy at Treasure Island.
RONALD R. CHRISTENSEN, 28, (second officer), Denver.
GEORGE A. GORINO, Emmett, Idaho, stationed in Florida with Navy.
LLOYD WALKER, 21, 10814 "B" Ave., Chicago, Ill.
RALPH NESBITT, 59, Santa Monica, Calif.
DAVID WHETTALL, 38, 1922 Leavenworth, San Francisco.
Not Injured:
MRS. LYNDON R. DAY, 3400 N. Utah, Arlington, Va.
J. F. MUELLER, 43, FAA, Denver, Colo.
JOHN SHWAIKO, FAA, Denver, Colo.

The Ogden Standard-Examiner Utah 1965-11-12
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!