April 23, 1956: PLANE CRASHES; COUPLE KILLED

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on April 23, 1956.

PLANE CRASHES; COUPLE KILLED

Wrecked Found On Area Farm

Believe Mishap Occurred During Sunday Snowfall

By CHUCK ZULICH

Bodies of a 44-year-old Chicago man and his wife were found at 10:45 a.m. today lying in a field 3½ miles northwest of Valparaiso near the wreckage of their 1946 Ercoupe model airplane.

The couple was identified as Gordon Blake, 44, and his wife, Josephine, age unknown, of 5732 W. Cornelia, Chicago.

Their light plane apparently crashed during the blinding snow storm that struck Valparaiso at about 8 p.m., Sunday evening.

Mrs. H. Howard Smith, who lives near the site of the crash, stated that she heard what she thought was a plane in trouble when she arrived home at 8. She added that visibility was zero because of the wind and snow.

Sees Wreckage

Mrs. Smith said that she talked about it with her husband and they both decided that it was just the wind that made the noise.

However, this morning as she was hanging out the clothes in her yard she noticed the plane wreckage in the field. She walked to the scene to confirm that it was a wreck and then notified authorities.

Willard Rusk, operator of the Urschel field, north of Valparaiso, stated that Mr. and Mrs. Blake visited his airport on both Saturday and Sunday. They were shopping for a bigger and better plane.

Rusk said that the Blakes left the local airport shortly before dark Sunday for Chicago. He stated that the plane was based at the Sky Haven airport in Chicago.

Leave Two Children

Rusk reported that the couple had visited the airport on numerous other occasions. He also said that they were the parents of two small children.

The scene at the field shows that the Blakes were apparently attempting an emergency landing. The wreckage was found 150 feet from the spot where it first touched the ground.

Blake’s body was thrown 66 feet from the final resting place of the plane and the body of Mrs. Blake, 32½ feet. The two bodies were 31 feet apart.

The light plane was completely demolished in the crash. The motor was torn loose and found 10 feet from the fuselage.

Wayne Michaels’ Field

Neighbors at the scene stated that the field in which the plane crashed is owned by Wayne Michaels. It is located west of Campbell road and north of Cooks Corners school.

State police notified the CAA in South Bend of the crash. Nothing was to be moved from the site until CAA officials could arrive on the scene, police said. The bodies were brought to the LePell Funeral home.

Deputy Coroner Leonard Wetmore reported that the couple was apparently killed outright. He stated that Blake’s watch stopped at 8 p.m., and Mrs. Blake’s at 8:03.

The last fatal airplane crash in Porter county occurred on Aug. 18, 1952, when three Porter county men died in the crash of a three - place P-13 Consolidated Vultee in a field on the Serial Warren farm, five miles northwest of Valparaiso.

They were Joseph W. Cook, 29, 504 Jefferson; Benny F. Ripley, 41, Flint lake; and Wendell DeForest Stoner, 19, RFD 2.

April 12, 1951: Local Fibre Firm Uses Airport Facilities

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on April 12, 1951.

Local Fibre Firm Uses Airport Facilities

FACILITIES AT the county municipal airport are being used by the Continental-Diamond Fibre company to receive and transport rush orders and supplies to and from Indianapolis. The firm Wednesday afternoon received a shipment of synthetic rubber from there and dispatched delete parts for condensers and transformers used in high altitude bombers. In the photo above workmen for Ferguson Transfer, Inc., are shown loading the outgoing shipment. It is the opinion of local C. of C. officials that if more firms would use the airport facilities for feeder service the Civil Aeronautics board would certify the airport for direct feeder service by plane for mail, passenger and cargo between Chicago and Indianapolis. A recent petition made by the local group to that effect was turned down by the CAA because of lack of existing use of the facilities.

Feb. 18, 1956: Washington Township Girl Apt Pupil In Air

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 18, 1956.

Washington Township Girl Apt Pupil In Air

By ROLLIE BERNHART

Judy Lindberg, 17-year-old, Washington Township High school senior, is an apt pupil.

A week ago, after 45 minutes of instruction in a dual control plane in which she had never before riffen, Judy took off and did a solo over the Porter County Municipal airport “for 15 minutes”, the first time any girl has done this feat at the county field.

To make it even more remarkable, she did it the hard way, taking off over a snow packed runway on skis for the first time, and landing the craft as “lightly as a feather.”

Adding to the ability of the Washington township girl to take instruction aptly, is the surprising fact that her “teacher” has been her father, Claude.

Where it has been a proven fact that parents rarely can teach their offsprings the art of driving a car, let alone piloting a plane, Judy’s father said that he has never lost patience during instruction periods. “She just seemed willing to learn, and has never had fear of being in the air.”

Judy simply says, in explanation of her father never having to “bawl her out” over some infraction while up in the air, that the motors make so much noise, she would not have heard him anyway.”

8,000 Hours In Air

She comes by her flying ability naturally. Her father, a former instructor and manager at Urschel field, and currently teaching with the Porter County Flying club at the county airport, has had more than 8,000 hours flying time.

Judy has been training in a Piper cub plane for about one year. As far as she is concerned flying is just a hobby. Although she would like to become a member of the county flying club, the organization’s by-laws contain no provision for the opposite sex on its roster.

When Judy is not flying, she can be found practicing with the “Washington Township Blue Notes,” a championship singing octet which will be vieing for its second consecutive state title at the Indianapolis finals today.

Mrs. Lindberg has the utmost confidence in the ability of her daughter and husband. “I am going to be Judy’s first passenger when she gets her pilot’s license. If her father thinks she’s good enough to take over, I’m willing to take a chance, too.”

Girl, 17, Solos In Plane

JUDY LINDBERG, 17, of Washington township, is at controls of a plane in which she recently did a solo at the Porter County municipal airport, the first girl to do this feat at the county field. Her father and instructor, Claude, is seated at her right.

Father Is her Instructor

JUDY, senior at Washington school and member of the 1955 state high school championship octet, the Blue Notes, here takes propping instruction from her father.