Suit Dismissed

This aircraft is a Ryan B-1 Brougham, S/N 173. It derives from the same lineage as the “Spirit of St. Louis”, and was built the following year. The B.F. Mahoney Aircraft Corp., San Diego, CA manufactured it on 9/1/28. It was equipped with a 220 HP Wright J-5A Whirlwind engine, S/N B-9187. As a five-place aircraft, it weighed 3,300 pounds.

The airplane landed at Tucson on 12/16/1928 piloted solo by N.L. Elmore. He arrived from San Diego and was outbound for El Paso the same day.

It seems this airplane stayed in the service of the Mahoney Aircraft Corp. for about seven months. On 2/7/29 a request by telegraph was sent for an “NC” license because, “Mahoney-Ryan Directors Knight and Bixby taking plane to Cuba next Saturday.” No record if the Cuba flight was made, but the airplane was sold to Aero Service, Inc. of Goshen, IN and the “NC” registration wasn’t issued until 5/24/29.

The airplane suffered an accident at Goshen, IN on 8/24/29. The reason was a, “defective shock strut broken.” Pilot Edwin Voras (transport license #2918) was uninjured. The airplane sold four more times until 1935, making its way from Indiana to North Dakota and Minnesota.

On 8/11/35, about three miles from Worthington, MN pilot Peter H. LaFrenz (transport license #24858) was killed along with three passengers. The record says, “Suits amounting to $30,000 filed against Worthington Civic and Commerce Association, which sponsored air show that day. Dismissed by court decision 10/37 for failing to prove cause for action.” Aircraft registration cancelled as of 8/11/35.

UPLOADED: 07/26/05 REVISED: