Diving And Zooming

This aircraft is a Ryan B-1 Brougham, S/N 128 (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 6/22/28. It was equipped with a 220 HP Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine, S/N B8549. It weighed 3,300 pounds.

It was sold on 7/10/28 to John H. Livingston of Monmouth, IL. He flew it to Tucson on 7/10/1928 in the midst of traffic participating in the 1928 Ford Reliability Tour. He noted in the Remarks “Not in Tour”. He was on his way eastward to Monmouth from San Diego in what was undoubtedly his ferry flight from the factory with his brand new airplane.

Livingston was president of Midwest Airways of Aurora, IL and the aircraft was transferred to the corporate name on 2/3/30. It flew under that banner for about a year and a half. It sold on 8/8/31 to Arthur Z. Bendar and R.W. Kettinger of Elmhurst Airport, Elmhurst, IL. They kept if a little over two years, during which new tubing was installed in the fuselage rear, flares, landing lights and a battery were installed. A minor accident on 9/20/31 resulted in, “repairs to right wing, 9/24/31.” The airplane was, “barnstormed in the southwest U.S. winter of 1932-33.” There is no other record of it in the Register, however, except for Livingston’s ferry flight. As of 10/6/33, the airplane had flown 499.2 hours.

Livingston bought the airplane again on 11/28/33 and moved it to Waterloo, IA. On 5/17/34 he sold it to Fred Symington (transport license #17805), Ackley, IA. On the 4th of July 1934, Symington crashed the airplane at St. Ansgar, IA. He and an unidentified number of passengers were killed. The cause of the accident was loss of control, with the aircraft, “diving and zooming under 1000’ over congested area with passengers for hire with no parachutes.” The registration was cancelled 7/4/34.

UPLOADED: 07/09/05 REVISED: 10/13/07