LIEUT. SCOTT AND CO-PILOT KILLED IN CRASH

Arnettsville, W. Va., Scene Of Accident Plane Driven Into Side Of a Hill While Stunting COSHOCTON FLIER DIES INSTANTLY Aviator Scott Dies In a Hospital 3 Hours Later Collection of Sandy Graham, 5-5-05

Fairmont, W. Va., May 31.      --Everett Arnholt, 30, Coshocton, Ohio, aviator, was instantly killed, and Lieut L. H. Scott, 44, of Marietta, head of the Scott flying circus, was fatally hurt when their plane crashed into the side of a hill last night. They were stunting at a Memorial Day celebration at Arnettsville near this city and the accident happened in full view of a large crowd. The wife and two small children of Lieut. Scott were in the crowd and saw the plane crash. Scott died in Cook hospital here three hours later.

The Scott circus paid its annual visit to Arnettsville on Memorial Day and as usual drew a large crowd. Lieut. Scott was the center of the show although he had other well known fliers in his outfit. Arnholtt was a licensed pilot. All during the day these men had alternated at the controls of the Scott ships and a continuous program had been followed. many passengers had flown with them during the afternoon and early evening. CONCLUDING FEATURE      Shortly after 8 o'clock, in the evening, Scott and Arnholtt took off from what was to be the concluding spectacle of the day. Their ship was covered with bunting and multicolored lights, and was laden with aerial bombs and rockets that would to be automatically discharged. They circled the circus grounds and had let off some of the explosives. They turned away from the crowd and started into what was to be a series of loops. The ship made one complete turn and was well into the second one, which was to carry it over the crest of a hill and into a small valley.      As nearly as can be told Scott misjudged the distance to the ground and the ship instead of rising out of the loop crashed into the side of the hill near the crest. The pilot was "giving it the gun" when it struck and it was going at a terrific rate of speed. The craft was completely wrecked. There was no explosion and no fire. ARNHOLTT IN FRONT SEAT      Arnholtt was riding in the front cockpit of the ship and Scott was piloting from the rear position. When the crash came the Coshocton man was thrown against the motor, his head was crushed and he died instantly.      Hundreds of people raced across the country-side to the scene of the crash. The first to arrive found the pilot wedged in the wreckage of the ship. They removed him and an ambulance took him to Cook hspital in this city. Scott had suffered a fractured skull, a crushed chest with lung punctures, a broken right arm and a crushed left hip.      Mrs. Scott and the children of the injured aviator were cared for by friends and were taken to the hospital. They were at his bedside when the end came.      The bodies of the dead aviators were in a mortuary here this morning and were to be shipped to Ohio later in the day.      The Scott flying circus had been coming to the Arnettsville flying field at regular intervals for a number of years. Today scores of people called at the morgue for a final look at the body of Lieut. Scott with whom many of them had flown in the past.

 

LIVED HERE TEN YEARS      Lieut. Lyle H. Scott, Marietta aviator, who was fatally injured in a plane accident at Arnettsville, W. Va., on Friday evening, had made this city his home for more than ten years during which time he conducted his own aviation field and did general commercial and "circus" or "stunt" flying in many parts of the country. He lived iwth his family at 328 Second street.      "Scotty," as he was familiarly known thoroughout the country, is believed to have held a number of aviaiton records, chief of which was the great number of flying hours that he had to his credit. More than six years ago, it is said, his average for actual flying time was well above that of most others in the game. Since then he has continued steadily in aviation and while actual figures are not available it is believed that his total of hours is as high as that of any man in aviation. NATIVE OF OHIO      Born at Deersville, a small northern Ohio town, more than 44 years ago, Lyle H. Scott spent his boyhood and early life at Uhrichsville. He became interested in aviation in the early stages of its development and on November 21, 1917, he enlisted for service in the World War. He already was known as a "stunt flier."      He was detailed to the army aviation fields in the southwest and his rise in the service was rapid. He soon was assigned to instruction work and for many months was stationed at Kelly Field in Texas. On February 24, 1919, he was commissioned an aerial flier with the rank of first lieutenant and on April 1, 1919, he was honorably discharged.      Soon after the war he came to Marietta. He continued to reside at Uhrichsville but came here often and it was during those visits that he made arrangements with Dr. John C. Swan for use of his land in the old.....lished a flying field. He did commercial flying and in the years that have intervened hundreds of Mariettans and their friends have had their first aerial thrill in the Scott ships. INJURED AT ATHENS      Naturally, many hazards have attended Scott's career, and he figured in numerous accidents. His most serious experience prior to the fatal one of Friday evening occured at Athens two years ago when his ship nosedived and he was so badly hurt that he was in a hospital for some time. He had other accidents during the year, several of them in the vicinity of Marietta. He seemed to bear a charmed life, hovever, and time after time he would come out of situations that seemed all but impossible to his friends.      In connection with his flying field here he had the agency for the Alexander Eaglerock plane, which is built at Denver, Colo. He sold many planes and trained many fliers. Several young men now piloting in T. A. T. and other governmental services received their first training under his direction. He was piloting one of the Denver ships when he met his fate.      The dead aviator is survived by Mrs. Scott and their two children, a boy, Lyle H. Scott, Jr., and a girl, Margaret Scott. His parents reside at Uhrichsville.

 

Back