Aug 20, 1950 Airplane Crash

Mishawaka Dentist Hurt In Plane Crash

Pictured here is the Swift airplane which crashed about 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning on the Fred farm northwest of Hibbard. Dr. Joe Wright of Mishawaka was injured in the crash which scores of people. -Photo by Thomas Walker.

Failure to get the landing gear down, together with high grass and soft ground, proved a blessing in disguise to Dr. Joe Wright, 34, of Mishawaka, Ind., as his plane belly crash-landed in a field just north of the Gene Drudge farm home on the Fred Triplet farm, one mile north and west of Hibbard Sunday morning.

Dr. Wright, a dentist, was taken to the Plymouth Parkview Hospital by the Easterday ambulance, where he was treated for head and back injuries. Later he wag taken to the St. Joseph Hospital in Mishawaka.

CAA officals, who visited the scene of the crash, stated that the plane was demolished.

Flying alone with a group of fourteen persons in other planes, Dr. Wright was on a breakfast flight from the Chain of Lakes Airport to Culver.

According to eye witnesses of the crash Dr. Wright was headed south towards Culver when the plane motor sputtered. Mrs. Gene Drudge stated that he turned back north. Mrs. Fred Triplet and her daughter, both eye witnesses stated that the plane was flying very low.

Mrs. Triplet said that the motor stopped completely then started again before the crash landing. Junior Triplet was the second person to reach the scene of the crash. The high grass and soft ground prevented the plane from overturning causing it to come to a stop within 25 feet of a heavy wooded area.

Dr. Wright was able to get out of the plane where he was assisted by members of the Culver Fire Department who were called to the scene of the accident. Citizen Aug 23, 1950