This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: maryachtrh Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.evans/9729/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Death Notice appears in The Los Angeles Times, 19 October 1931 PILOT OF GLIDER KILLED IN CRASH Sweetheart Sees Fatal Dive at Hollywood Riviera Before the horrified gaze of his sweetheart, his flying comrades and nearly 500 other spectators, Victor Evans, 33 year old glider manufacturer and pilot, dove to his death shortly after noon yesterday at the surf line on Hollywood Riviera, south of Redondo Beach. Evans, flying a sailplane of his own make fell from an altitude of approximately 200 feet when the wings of the motorless craft crumpled as the pilot pulled it out of a seventy foot dive. Witnesses, including the girl, who, friends said was the pilot's sweetheart, Miss Margaret Carey, saw Evans send his craft nose downward at another sailplane being flown by Ten Jenks, national glider-record pilot. Glider Smashed A short distance above Jenk's ship Evans pulled up. The wings buckled and the pilot, strapped in the fuselage without a parachute, hurtled earthward. The glider struck a high bluff near the surf line and was smashed to bits. Jenks, witnessed the fall from the air, landed on the beach and rushed to his firend's aid. So did Miss Carey and Martin Wood, 4354 O'Neill Street, but Evans was dead. Believing then that the flyer still lived, the trio rushed him to the Hermosa-Redondo Hospital. The body was removed to the Strother Mortuary, Hollywood, pending funeral arrangements. Evans, who resided with his mother and brother, Donald Evans at 1537 North Vista Street, Hollywood, was to have been one of the hosts at the afternoon dinner meeting of nearly seventy-five glider pilots, assembled at Hollywood Riviera to participate in a combined contest of six Southern California gliding clubs. Record Attempt Made The dinner was conducted on schedule and Jenks, after witnessing he death dive of Evans, went aloft and remained tow hours in an attempt to better his own mark of more than three hours. Hundreds of motorist lined the coast highway to watch the gliders sailing through the air. Many of those who saw Evans fall, however believed it was part of the program and drove away without hearing of the tragedy. The point where the smashed ship struck was out of the range of vision of the motorist. Evans was a veteran glider pilot and manufactured the light craft in an organization known as the Evans Glider Company. League Formed In July, 1929, Evans and Hal G. Mors of Los Angeles,, filed articles of incorporation for the Aviation League of America, which proposed to associate aviators in fostering advancing and encouraging he science of aviation. An attempt was made by Evans to fly a glider from Los Angeles Harbor to Catalina Island in July, 1930, but the speedboat which was to tow him could not get up enough speed and Evans was dragged into the surf. He escaped without injury. Four months previous to this adventure the Hollywood pilot narrowly escaped death near the point where he died yesterday when he was forced down in the ocean aboard the glider. He made the ocean landing to avoid striking persons on the beach and swam ashore safely. Youth Injured At the time Evans crashed Donald (Buster) Stevens, 18 year old Hollywood High School pilot, was recovering at his home, 1939 North Van Ness Avenue, from injuries received lat Saturday during a trial flight in preparation for yesterday's contest. Stevens, son of Leonard Stevens, nationally known song writer, who composed "I Fell Down an' Go Boom," crashed his home made ship against the Hollywood Riviera bluff rather than mow down a line of spectators who lined the top of the bluff, watching the boy come landward after completing a circle over the ocean. The youth did not have altitude enough to get over the heads of the spectators, so heroically dove into the cliff. He received possible internal injuries, wrenched back and fractured ankle, but will recover. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.