Crash Landing
Pyote Air Force Base - Pyote, TX

John wrote: “We feathered our #1 engine and came around for a 3-engine landing. The tower directed us to runway #25 which landed directly into the setting sun. Add to this the fact that there were several acres of freshly oiled ground which reflected the glare. Just as we brought the nose up we were blinded - we hit the runway, hit an obstruction, swerved to the left and decided to take-off and go again. Charley pulled-up the flaps and I got the gear up - we buzzed across the sage about 5 feet high trying to pick-up air speed to climb. We slipped over a ditch and then went in for a belly landing. Boy, it was beautiful but I sure hate to see such an expensive airship banged-up. We did some fancy rudder kicking as we slid across the desert and finally stopped in a terrific cloud of dust. Before the dust settled, crew 0206 was standing in a circle about 100 feet from the ship. Hatches always look so small till you have to get thru them. I never touched mine - I dove out and my feet were running before I hit the ground.”