In 1947, three accidents involved the Gratz Airport, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Two of the accidents were fatal. The second accident occurred in July 1947. Shortly after pilot David Savidge took off from the Gratz Airport, with one passenger, for a late evening ride, the plane went down in flames in the vicinity of Specktown Road in Lykens Township, Dauphin County. Both the pilot and passenger, Mary Willier were killed.
There was wide regional newspaper coverage of the crash. From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 25 July 1947:
TWO KILLED IN GRATZ PLANE CRASH
Pilot, Woman Passenger Perish in Flames As Plane Crashes Shortly After Take-Off
A Schuylkill County aviator and a woman passenger were killed instantly today when their light plane crashed and burned a few minutes after taking off from the Gratz Airport.
Dr. S. E. Herrold, Lykens, deputy coroner, said the victims were:
David Savidge, 29, Hegins, R.D. 2.
Miss Mary Willier, 29, Hegins.
They had taken off from the Gratz Airport about 1 a.m. planning a short night-flight, Dr. Herrold reported.
The plane plummeted to earth in a clover field about three miles south of the airport.
Apparently badly injured in the crash, Savidge and Miss Willier burned to death before help could reach them, Dr. Herrold said.
A rescue crew from the airport found the craft enveloped in flames. The bodies of the two occupants were in the plane.
Miss Ruth Koppenhaver, Valley View, Savidge’s fiancee, had accompanied the two to the airport and was seated in an automobile awaiting their return when informed of the crash.
Mrs. Charles Savidge, a sister-in-law of the dead flyer, said that Savidge, who has had a pilot’s license for several years, had made several night flights since a lighting system was installed at the airport recently.
Last night, she related, Savidge attempted to persuade Miss Koppenhaver to accompany him on a flight, but she was unwilling.
He then asked Miss Willier, a mutual friend who first declined, then was persuaded to make the flight.
The three drove to the airport and Miss Koppenhaver returned to Savidge’s car as her fiancee’s plane took off.
Another plane from the Gratz Airport was in the air at the time the crash was reported and there was confusion at first as to which was involved. Ray Mattern, Hegins, was at the controls of the second plane.
Miss Koppenhaver drove with several airport attendants to a a reported scene of the crash, but they were unable to find any trace of the plane.
It was only after her return to the airport that Miss Koppenhaver learned of the details of the accident.
Savidge, who took up flying while working in an Indianapolis war plant, worked near Hegins as a welder. He is survived by his father, Jonas Savidge; a sister, Mrs. Elvin Troutman, Penbrook, and a brother, Charles Savidge.
Savidge, Miss Willier and Miss Koppenhaver, were classmates at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, graduating about ten years ago.
Miss Willier was a former petty officer in the WAVES….
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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