M.323  First Officer William Joseph Somogy 
 flag usa   b. 12 Jan 1909, Warren, Ohio  16 Jan 1941 to 15 Apr 1945

 1942 ata william somogy bw5900 1942

     

 

Ed. High School, Ohio

prev. 2nd Lieut in US Army, 1937-41 2nd Lieut in Air Corps Reserve

A motor mechanic, and mail and passenger pilot.

He was the pilot (and sole survivor of the crash) of this New Standard D-25 s/n NC9795 belonging to Erie Isles Airways which crashed into Lake Erie on 29 December 1937. Flying from Port Clinton, he ran into heavy fog trying to land at Put-In-Bay (which is only a 5-minute flight away):

erie isles airways crash 1937   NC9795 crash

He said he "spotted a blue patch in the haze and started downward, believing it to be solid ice." Instead, it was water into which the plane plunged, tossing out the passengers.

The three passengers drowned, despite his attempts to hold onto the woman passenger, Nancy Howard; "he held onto her with one hand, but the cold water finally compelled him to loosen his grip and she sank." William hung onto the tail until he was rescued. He was later exonerated.

m., 1 child

Address in 1941: 3456 W 99 St, Cleveland, Ohio

Postings: 4FPP, 4aFPP

"A good officer and sound pilot"; "Somewhat slow at first but completed by flying the Liberator quite satisfactorily."

Later joined NASA as a Technician

d. 26 Jan 1990


 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

 

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