The Harlem News

PLANE CRASH - This light plane, carrying four passengers to Harlem from the Fred L. Robinson Bridge dedication last Sunday, was almost a total loss after an unsuccessful take off from a landing field near the bridge site. The accident occurred about 4:30 p.m. Sunday and the four Harlem people narrowly escaped death in the crash. Pilot of the four-passenger Beechcraft was Alex Pitsch and passengers were Mrs. Alex Pitsch and Mr. and Mrs. Elwell Ekegren. They all climbed out of the wreckage, badly shaken but without serious injuries. The Francis Pauley family took them back to Harlem.

Some 37 of the 52 planes at the site had taken off before the accident occurred, but then the air became turbulent. After a short wait, five more of the planes made successful takeoffs, the last being the Guy Riggin plane from Harlem. Pitsch then attempted a takeoff but hit pilot air when several feet off the ground and the plane came down tail first, skidding across the landing strip and bounced from one borrow pit of the highway into the other across the highway but did not roll over. Flying instruments, the motor and the tail assembly was salvaged. No insurance was carried. (Montana Highway Dept. photo).