2 Men Injured in Air Mishap
December 11, 1941
One person was seriously injured and a passenger slightly hurt Thursday afternoon when a Taylorcraft airplane struck a power wire and crashed as it was attempting to make a spot landing at the Susanville municipal airport, five miles east of town.
Clyde Deal, pilot, and Phil Malfa, both of Susanville, were in the accident. Deal recently purchased the new plane and was taking Malfa for a trial spin.
In landing, the undercarriage struck the power lines, causing the plane to nose over, strike the ground and flip over on its back.
Both occupants were rushed to Riverside Hospital here. Malfa was released yesterday, but Deal is badly hurt, suffering extensive scalp wounds, fractured skull, fractured left collar bone and minor cuts and bruises.
This is the first accident at the local airport. The plane was badly damaged.
