Structural Failure

This aircraft is a Ryan B-1 Brougham, S/N 90 (ATC 25). It shares lineage with the “Spirit of St. Louis”, but was built during the following year. The B.F. Mahoney Aircraft Co., San Diego, CA manufactured it on 4/30/28. It was equipped with a 220 HP Wright J-5AB engine, S/N 8364. It weighed 3,300 pounds.

NC4936 was sold to Mission Airplane Services of San Antonio on 4/25/28. The airplane landed at Tucson on 4/26/1928 piloted by Frank Glennan. He carried passenger L.S. Croford, who gave his address as Uniontown, PA. They were inbound from San Diego, but did not list a destination. This was probably the first flight east after the airplane was purchased on 4/25. The destination was probably San Antonio.

Mission turned it over to Texas Air Transport, Inc. of Fort Worth, TX on 5/1/28. It was designated, “For official use & taxi service, air mail and general.” T.A.T sold it on 9/14/29 to R.M. Brooks of Dallas, TX. Pilot Brooks had an accident at Leona, TX on 10/6/29. He and three passengers were killed. The airplane, “went into spin at 800’. Probably structural failure.”