US Navy Reserve Crash Seattle Dec 14 1930

[paulmcmillan]

All

On Dec 14th 1930 two student filers escaped from a US Navy Reserve aircraft over Seattle by parachute

"The Montana Standard from Butte, Montana
Monday, December 15, 1930
Page: 1

PARACHUTES SAVE LIVES OF STUDENT FLYERS IN SEATTLE SEATTE, Wash., Dec 14. (V-Two naval reserve student flyers, H. W. Gall and L. J. Schreiber, escaped death in parachute leaps here today when their plane plunged 4,500 feet after the elevators were torn off by a sharp dive. The plane landed in the yard of H. S. Heap, Northeast Seattle resident, narrowly missing him and his son. Dr. George B. Heap, who were decorating a Christmas tree on the lawn.
"

They were

Harbert Wilfred Gall

Born 25/12/1902 Stockton San Joaquin County California United States of America
who Died 07/02/1931 Seattle Washington
Boeing Plane Crash

Test Pilot Hurt-After Motor Falls Off in Mid-Air SEATTLE, Feb. 7.-His plane converted Into a gilder when the motor broke loose from the fuselage at an altitude of 1.00(1 feet, just south of the city limits today, H. W. Gall, Boeing Airplane company test pilot, was seriously hurt In his second crash within six weeks. . Gall was flying an all-metal high speed army fighting type experimental plane, travelling 180 miles an hour. Gall said one of the metal blades on the propeller flew off. The powerful radial motor, out of balance, began to vibrate, tore loose from the metal stays and plunged to earth

Test Pilot Dies Of Crash Injury SEATTLE, Feb. . 7 (AP) Herbert W, Gall. Boeing test pilot died in a hospital here tonight from Injuries received earlier in the day when an all metal experimental monoplane he was firing became disabled

This was Boeing XP-15 Model 202 c/n 1151 X-270V

the circumstances of his death are unclear in that he is quoted as jumping from 50 feet - which would not have been enough for parachute to fully deploy

the other crewman was Lloyd J Schreiber who I think was Lloyd Jay Schreiber who was working for Boeing by 1940

The question I have is what aircraft did they parachute from on 14 Dec 1930 ? I assume from Sand Point Naval Air Station

https://www.historylink.org/File/2249

Many Thanks Paul McMillan

[paulmcmillan]

PS I wonder if it might have been a Consolidated NY-2

and the airbase may have been known as NRAB Seattle

[twocee]

The accident involved Curtiss N2C-1, A-8030, of NRAB Seattle and the two occupants were H.W. Gall and L.J. Schreiber. The rank of both at the time was Seaman Second Class. I have no idea which one was at the controls.

The pilot had performed three split-s manoeuvres and pushed over into a 45 degree dive when the elevators detached.

[paulmcmillan]

George Many thanks for this I am coming back to this after a bit of tine. I am 100% sure Gall was Pilot and Schreiber was pupil

Gall appears to have been an experienced pilot aged 28 If he was a test pilot for Boeing If Schreiber is who I think he is he was only 20

Kind regards Paul

[twocee]

The pilot is shown as having 687 hrs. total flight time, so it is likely to have been Gall.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Paul

With regard to the XP-15 accident. Pete Bowers state the engine shook itself loose after a high-speed run followed by a vertical climb.
May I suggest that happened at around 1000 feet and not 1 foot.
Gall may well have left the aircraft at around 50 feet. An aircraft is very difficult to handle after the engine has gone and it would also come down very, very fast. I am surprised he managed to get out at all....

Also thanks George for the aircraft details. Your knowledge is simply enormous!

B Rgds
Stig

[paulmcmillan]

Stig - Thanks for update and yes George your US Navy knowledge is amazing I only hope I can sometimes put more 'meat' on the bare bones of the accident report and also provide a bit more follow up

[twocee]

Its not so much knowledge as having the relevant material. I have these early accident records simply because I needed them when compiling the US Navy section of Ray Sturtivant's book on the DH-4.