Body, Recovered Today, Reveals Fire Swept To Cockpit
“Richard T. Doyle, 34, son of the late Billy Doyle, famous major league baseball scout, lost his life about 6 p.m. Wednesday when the plane he was piloting caught fire and plunged into the Ohio River.”
“An unidentified witness reported he saw Mr. Doyle in the water a few seconds after the crash and said he disappeared before help arrived. Friends said the flier could not swim.”
“Recovery of the body of Mr. Doyle at 8:20 a.m. today revealed that he was burned, hurt and enveloped in flames when the plane struck the water. I was believed that he suffered shock from the burns and impact.”
Back Burned
“His clothes were burned virtually off his back. The back of his body and legs suffered second degree burns. His faced was lacerated and bruised.”
“J. Wesley Hyland, 1943 Oakland crescent, Joseph McMahon, 1833 1/2 Highland Av, and Paul Bowman, 1403 17th st, members of a Knights of Columbus searching party, were manning the boat which recovered the body.”
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“The body was removed about 100 feet below the crash scene and about 40 feet from the Kentucky shore.”
“Dr. H. M. Bertram of Vanceburg, Lewis co (Ky) coroner, said death was caused by drowning.”
“The accident occurred about five miles west of the U.S. Grant bridge, 50 feet from the Kentucky shore.”
“It was the first local fatality in the 20-year history of Raven Rock airport.”
“City firemen under Capt. Walter Chick and several men residing near the accident scene dragged the river Wednesday night in search for the body.”
“Cause of the fire was not determined. H. Coleman Grimes, manager of the Raven Rock Flying Service, Inc. which owned the plane, said he was at a loss to understand what could have caused a fire in the plane.”
Investigation Asked
“He notified the civil aeronautics board immediately and requested an investigator to come here in an effort to determine the cause of the mishap. A CAB official from Chicago or Detroit was expected here today.”
“Mr. Doyle, who resided with his mother Mrs. William T. Doyle, at 1124 Ninth st, had been employed as an assistant to James I. Gower, deputy collector of internal revenue, since his discharge from the army.”
“Mr. Doyle was a student pilot with 20 hours flying time, about half the amount necessary to qualify for a private pilot’s license.”
“A few minutes after he took off from the airport alone in a Taylorcraft cabin plane, flames were seen in the fuselage at the rear of the plane. Some witnesses said they believed they saw the flames spreading toward the cabin.”
“Pilots at the airport speculated that Mr. Doyle might have headed the plane toward the river to quench the fire, or the flames might have burned away the tail assembly sufficiently to put the ship out of control.”
“As the plane headed from the Kentucky side toward the river, it skimmed through treetops near the river bank and pancaked about 50 feet from shore in water ranging from 10 to 15 feet deep.”
2 In Plane Eye Witnesses
“Pilot instructor Gene Hiatt and Student Rudolph Woods, 1667 Logan st, were in a plane near the scene and witnessed the crash.”
“Mr. Woods and Mr. Doyle left the airport about two minutes ahead of his plane.”
“‘We were flying about two miles west of the airport,’ Mr. Woods said, ‘when we saw flames burning the fuselage of Mr. Doyle’s plane. He either put the plane in a spin, seeking to lose altitude faster, or it went out of control.'”
“‘As the plane spun down in front of our craft we could see fire reaching toward the cockpit. It looked like a spinning ball of fire. When we first noticed the fire the plane was about 1,800 feet high over the Kentucky hills.'”
“‘The pilot headed for the river, and as he descended the plane skimmed through treetops and crashed about 50 feet from shore. I didn’t see Mr. Doyle. Mr. Hiatt said he thought he saw Mr. Doyle get out through the top of the plane.'”
Saw Plane Aflame
“Jerome Holcomb, 28, and Russell Clay, 48, both of South Portsmouth, reported they saw the plane on fire and saw it crash. They said they were the first at the scene and swam to the cockpit to try to find Mr. Doyle, but he was not in the plane when they arrived.”
“Both men said they thought they heard someone ‘screaming for help.'”
“With the aid of Cecil Carpenter, 49, of South Shore, and other persons, Mr. Clay and Mr. Holcomb dragged the plane in toward shore.”
“Others who reported seeing the mishap included Mrs. Holcomb and Mrs. Clay; Homer Hacker, 25, of St. Paul, and George Blaine, 54, of South Portsmouth, all of whom reported they saw the fire.”
“Three youths at the farm of Harry Blake of the Ohio side said they saw the crash but they saw no one get out of the plane. The youths are Jack Blake, 17, son of Mr. Blake, and David, 17, and Jerry Pierron, 13, of 1241 Ninth st.”
Believed Pilot Left Plane
“A man working on the Portsmouth Sand & Gravel Co.’s dredge boat opposite the scene, reported he saw a man in the water start swimming toward shore and disappear.”
“Capt. Chick went with his rescue crew to his camp on Moor’s lane, not far from the scene, loaded his own boat with dragging equipment and hurried to the scene, using an outboard motor.”
“Fire Chief Howard Kiebler joined them later.”
“Mr. Doyle was driven to the airport by his mother. Just before he took off she left to drive to Jackson with her son, William Jr., and daughter, Ruth, for a visit.”
Born In Portsmouth
“A son of Mrs. Wilhelmina Haubert Doyle and the late William T. Doyle, who originated the “farm” system in baseball, Richard Thomas Doyle was born in Portsmouth on Feb. 13, 1913. He was graduated from Holy Redeemer school in the class of 1930.”
“Mr. Doyle and brothers conducted a filling station on Scioto trail and a pet shop near Seventh and Chillicothe streets until the flood of 1937. He enlisted in the army on June 4, 1941, and was overseas almost five years. He spent some time in England and Italy and almost four in the African and Sicily campaigns. He was a first sergeant in the 44th T.C. Group, 316 T.C. Squadron and was discharged on May 23, 1945.”
“More than a year ago, Mr. Doyle accepted a position as deputy collector in the internal revenue offices at the postoffice under James I. Gower. Prior to that he had been employed as a clerk at the city garage and as an assistant to L. M. Cowdrey when he was the director of city service.”
“Mr. Doyle was a member of Holy Redeemer Church, Knights of Columbus, Holy Name Society, Portsmouth lodge of Elks and James Dickey post, American Legion. Mr. Doyle also was president of Central Catholic athletic board.”
Father Died Suddenly
“Mr. Doyle’s father suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on Sept. 23, 1939, while he and family were on their way to New York city to attend the Worlds Fair. He died suddenly, Sept. 24, without regaining consciousness.”
“Following in the footsteps of his father, Mr. Doyle kept posted on baseball and could quote the batting averages of most any player.”
“He had met many big leagues in accompanying his father on trips when he was a youngster. He was a student of the game and was exceptionally well posted in all branches of sport. He always was a great booster of Central Catholic football and basketball teams.”
“In addition to his mother, Mr. Doyle leaves three brothers, Paul L. and William J., of Scioto trail and Robert J., 1107 Eighth st, and a sister Miss Ruth Doyle at home.”
“The K. of C. will meet at 8 the night before the last rites to recite the rosary.”
“The body is at Melcher funeral home.” 1.
