Show I Thomas Planned I Flight t to Rome Associate w Says NEW YORK May 10 AP AP Lieu Lieu Lieutenant tenant Royal V V. Thomas killed when his Bellanca monoplane Reliance Reliance Reliance Reli Reli- ance crashed yesterday near Teterboro Teterboro Teterboro Teter- Teter boro airport N. N J J. J s secretly load Imd been planning a flight to Rome He was making a test twit flight of his plane when the accident occurred Vaughn Weathersby Wright mechanic was killed with him Thomas' Thomas plans for the Rome flight were made known after the accident by H Harry Barry rry A A. Bruno his tive The Tho plans were to have havo been kept secret until h-e h was actually started on his flight to Italy's capital The solo flight in which he set et a anew anew anew new end endurance urance record for a lone aviator last w week ek was also a test of the plane and of his capacity to stay awake the required time to span the Atlantic Thomas was a resident of ot Durant Okla and was a a graduate of Georgetown university Recently he barnstormed through the middle west making makine passenger flights under under under un un- un- un der the name of L. L T. T Royal G G. M. M Bellanca designer and builder of Thomas Thomas' plane discounted discount discount- ed the Ure theory that a wing fell off causing the crash After talking with observers of the accident he said that Thomas' Thomas engine was missing missing missing miss miss- ing and that he was certain it hit the ground in a sideslip while at attempting attempting attempting at- at tempting to return to the field I |