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. Presented in this post are selections or extracts from other newspaper articles, most of which only briefly covered the crash. However, it should be noted that in many cases, the information given conflicts with that previously presented on this blog about this same event.
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From the Shamokin News-Dispatch, 25 July 1947:
2 Hegins Residents Die in Plane Crash
GRATZ, Pennsylvania, 25 July [1947] — Mary Willier and David Savidge, 29-year old residents of Hegins, Pennsylvania, were killed shortly after midnight when their small airplane crashed and burned on a take-off at Gratz Airport.
Dr. S. E. Herrold, Dauphin County Deputy Coroner, and a witness reported the plane took off at 12:30 a.m. and that a few minutes later a flash was seen and the plane crashed on a farm two miles from the field.
Gratz Airport is not equipped with lights for nigh take-offs and landings….
A relative of Miss WIllier said she believed the couple, friends since school days, probably were on a midnight joy ride when the the single-engine plane owned by Savidge crashed….
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The Carlisle Sentinel, 25 July 1947, attributed the above article to the United Press and then referred to “a relative of Miss Miller [sic]” who speculated the couple was on a “midnight joy ride.”
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From the Chambersburg Public Opinion of 25 July 1947:
2 BURN TO DEATH IN PLANE CRASH
Light Aircraft Bursts into Flames Shortly After Its Takeoff
LYKENS, 25 July [1947] — Two persons were killed early today in the crash in flames of a light plane a few minuted after it took off from the nearby Gratz Airport….
The victims, Dr. Herrold said, had taken off from the Gratz Airport about 1 A.M. for a short night flight and spectators at the field saw flames spurt from the craft a few minutes later. The burning plane fell in a clover field three miles south of the airport.
Both Savidge and Miss Willier were burned to death when a rescue crew from the airport reached them, Dr. Herrold said….
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From the Pottsville Republican and Herald, 25 July 1947:
2 HEGINS RESIDENTS DIE IN PLANE CRASH
Tragedy Occurs Near Gratz During a Joy Ride
Pilot David Savidge and a school-days friend, Mary Willier, both of Hegins, were killed today when his light plane crashed and burned during an after-midnight joy ride.
The 29-year-old victims of the mishap were burned beyond recognition on a farm three miles south of the Gratz Airport….
Miss Koppenhaver had refused to accompany Savidge on the flight, according to Mrs. Charles Savidge, sister-in-law of the pilot….
Savidge, who is employed as a welder at Hegins, had made several night flights in his single-engined craft from the Gratz Airport since the field was lighted recently….
The cause of the crash was not immediately determine.
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From the Warren Times Mirror, 25 July 1947:
Two Die In Crash At Lykens Airport
Lykens, 25 July [1947] – (AP) — Two persons were killed early today in the crash in flames of a light plane a few minutes after it took off from the nearby Gratz Airport….
The victims, Dr. Herrold said, had taken off from the Gratz Airport about 1 a.m. for short night flight and spectators at the field saw flames spurt from the craft a few minutes later. The burning plane fell in a clover field three miles south of the airport….
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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, 26 July 1947:
2 Killed in Crash of Flaming Plane
LYKENS, Pennsylvania, 25 July [1947] — (AP) — Two persons were killed early today in the flaming crash of a light plane a few minutes after it took off from the nearby Gratz Airport….
Savidge had a pilot’s license for several years and recently made a number of night flights, Mrs. Charles Savidge, his sister-in-law said. She said that the pilot first proposed last night that his fiancee, Miss Koppenhaver, accompany him on a flight, but she declined and then Miss Willier, a mutual friend accepted the invitation. All three drove to the airport together.
At the scene of the crash grass was burned away for a distance of approximately 100 feet, indicating that the craft somersaulted that distance in flames after first hitting the ground. Bodies of both victims were badly charred.
Savidge learned to fly while employed at an Indianapolis, Indiana, war plant. He was employed near here as a welder. He had bought the craft, a single-engine, three-place plane last October….
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, 26 July 1947:
Plan Rites for Gratz Plane Crash Victims
HEGINS, 26 July [947] — Funeral arrangements were announced for Miss Mary Willier, this place, and David M. Savidge, R.D. 2, killed early yesterday in a plane crash near Bressler Airport, Gratz.
Services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. for Miss Willier at the Buffington Funeral Home, Valley View, with further services at the Frieden’s Lutheran Church, this place. The Rev. Stephen Schullery, pastor of the Frieden’s Church, will officiate, with burial in Union Cemetery.
Savidge, pilot of the plane, will be buried Tuesday morning in Fountain Cemetery following services at the Monroe Savidge estate at 10 a.m. The Rev. Paul Yohe, pastor of Christ Lutheran Reformed Church, will officiate.
No viewings will be held.
Pvt. Edward Fagnani, air crash investigator for the State Police, said that Savidge apparently made a violent maneuver to avoid hitting a mountain, causing the plane to crash ito a field where it burst into flames. Fagnani believed that Savidge actually saw the dim outline of a mountain and thought it was slower that it actually was.
The plane smashed into a clover field on the Sitlinger farm, somersaulted more than a hundred feet, and burned till nothing more than a charred pile of wreckage remained.
Dr. S. E. Herrold, assistant county coroner said the couple was too badly injured in the crash to escape the flames. An airport rescue crew found only charred bodies when it reached the scene.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.