Rick Vulpita has approached me to say he has located a 94 year old who was witness at first hand to the explosion, crash and aftermath of the downing of the United Boeing 247. Amazing! I'm glad there's someone still around who remembers this incident first hand.
Crash Site Search Update: We have visited the crash area on April 7 and 14. Our search has been concentrated where the Indiana Toll Road and 400 East intersect. We based searching this area on the photos from 1933 and from a discussion with a 94 year old eye witness who was one of the first to arrive at the scene. The eye witness will be joining us at the site when the weather gets better. Using a metal detector we have dug up a large bolt and 2 pieces of odd shaped metal. These need to be further identified and more searches of this area are planned.
ReplyDeleteEven though the area strongly resembles the pictures in 1933 I am getting to sense most of the crash site may now be under the Indiana Toll Road. The family of a co-searcher owns the land to the north where the plane first exploded. Accounts from 1933 detail a trail of plane parts and other items fell into that field including the planes tail section. That area will also be searched in the future.
If anyone has any photos from 1933 of the area to share they are needed and would be welcomed. Please e-mail me at RTVulpitta@Comcast.net Thank you. Rick Vulpitta
It is great to hear that someone is looking for this site.
ReplyDeleteHere is a photo that is on EBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1933-Chesterton-Indiana-7-People-Killed-Air-Liner-Burst-into-Flames-Press-Photo-/400472416804?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item5d3e042224
I am bidding on that photo and could send it to you if I win it!
Best of luck on your search,
Chris Baird
http://www.arizonawrecks.com/wrecksfromtonymireles/boeing247nc13304.html
By the way, I have been contacted by several reporters because of my web page on this crash. They are writing 80th anniversary pieces on it.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that this tragedy has not been forgotten.
Chris Baird
Www.arizonawrecks.com
Nice to see that you've got some media on your tail! It is indeed good that it hasn't been forgotten. I brought much attention back to Continental Airlines Flight 11 ( May 22/1962) and it's satisfying seeing these forgotten crashes remembered.
ReplyDelete