Prop Strike

This aircraft is a Ryan B-1 Brougham, S/N 164. It derives from the same lineage as the “Spirit of St. Louis”, and was built the following year. The B.F. Mahoney Aircraft Co., San Diego, CA manufactured it on 8/20/28. It was equipped with a 220 HP Wright J-5A Whirlwind engine, S/N B-9092. As a five-place aircraft, it weighed 3,300 pounds. This airplane visited Tucson three times.

It sold on 11/5/28 to Dixie Aviation Co. (Al Henley, Prop.). We see the airplane first at Tucson on 11/5/1928 piloted solo by Mr. Henley. He was eastbound from San Diego, CA to El Paso, TX undoubtedly ferrying this brand new airplane from the factory.

Dixie turned it over on 11/6/28 to Walter A. Henshaw of San Angelo, TX. Henshaw operated Henshaw Oil Corporation in NY and San Angelo. We next see NC7672 at Tucson on 12/22/1928 piloted by Paul L. Foster carrying G.A. Henshaw, Jr. and E.E. Fogelson as passengers. Based at San Angelo, they are westbound from El Paso to Los Angeles.

The airplane was sold on 5/1/29 to S.E. Couch, VP of the Ozona National Bank, Ozona, TX. We see the airplane at Tucson the third time a month later on 6/3/1929 piloted by Embree H. Hunt carrying three unidentified passengers. They were on their way from Phoenix to Douglas, AZ.

On 10/4/29, at Marfa, TX, passenger Mr. Couch, “got out of plane and walked into revolving propeller.” He was killed. There was no damage to the airplane.

The airplane was sold eight more times to 1936, moving from Texas to Kentucky, Tennesssee, Arkansas and back to Texas. It suffered two minor accidents. The airplane was not inspected for re-licensing after its last sale on 6/5/36. Registration was cancelled 7/31/36.

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UPLOADED: 07/26/05 REVISED: 10/30/08