Show s Q I N Nr Ns r 1 A J hJo 5 f T r r r L r r t 7 r n. n CHARRED REMAINS of a Cessna 1 SO which crashed and burned on an Vernal Municipal Airport runway Saturday Vernal City Fire Department Deportment extinguished the final flames A dramatic rescue was made at the Vernal Municipal Airport Saturday afternoon when a ahard ahard ahard hard landing wrecked a small plane setting it on fire with the pilot being knocked unconscious un un- conscious FIRST TO reach the flaming naming Cessna single engine two- two place plane was Dean Reynolds Vernal Airport manager and Frontier Airlines employee Reynolds had just completed a ro routine tine airport inspection around the runway for rocks debris animals and fences and had left his pickup truck in front of the terminal building landing apron almost directly in front of the accident scene When the plane wreck was first spotted by Harold Buzz Oliver Frontiers Frontier's terminal manager Reynolds jumped in his truck and drove I to to the craft Flames were leaping around the cockpit but when opening the door it partially st shielded elded him stated Reynolds The pilot was leaning over the he wheel in a forward position Reynolds reported he pulled him back and reached across to unfasten the safety belt In trying to pull I x Y 4 1 t. t DEAN REYNOLDS saves plane pilot and stood by until the second fuel tank tonk still full of gasoline was removed from the wreckage Pilot saved from flaming plane ane by quick r err him out Reynolds said his feet were caught in the controls By this thus time Roger Brummond and Jimmy Duerock from Basin Flying Service who also saw the plane crash arrived at the scene Duerock helped Reynolds free the pilots pilot's feet and drug him hum away from rom the burning craft In Inless Inless Inless less than 30 seconds flames fed by gasoline from from a a ruptured line completely covered the aircraft and rescue would have been impossible stated Reynolds THE TilE FORCE FOnCE of the landing landing- broke the the- plane in two and jerked loose a fuel line running from a wing fuel tank Gasoline from the fuel line evidently ignited by the sparks caused from the friction of the plane sliding along the runway and flames erupted before the plane came to toa a stop stated hand first-hand witnesses The pilot L. L J J. J Wilson 47 e employed at Rucker-Acme Rucker Tool Company had just soloed and was on his third flight without an instructor He was treated at Uintah County Hospital and then taken to the IDS Hospital in Salt Lake City He suffered from minor head cuts and a concussion and serious leg and ankle injuries and is reported tobe tobe to tobe be improving TIlE THE PLANE was coming in for a landing at the north approach to the main runway when at about 40 feet it stalled out and nosed down hitting full force on the front tricycle landing gear and engine propeller according to firsthand firsthand firsthand first first- hand witnesses The plane belonged to Basin Flying Service and was a 1975 model with about hours flying time and valued at about according to Roger Brummond partner of Basin Flying Service The accident took place at pm p.m. |