Seven Killed When Jet Crashes In Picnic Area

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 13

Seven Killed When Jet Crashes In Picnic Area

<N -A Fress Association— Copyright)

WILLOW GROVE (Pennsylvania), July 8 A naval aviation team today investigated the tragic crash of a jet fighter into a wooded picnic area at Willow Grove yesterday killing four children and three adults. Seventeen persons were injured The FJ Fury let was abandoned by its pilot, a civilian Marine reservist. Captain John W Butler, aged 30, as it came in for a landing at the Willow Grove a«r station Butler ejected himself from the plane when it developed a fault and landed safely by parachute

The plane veered on, then dropped into the picnic area, crowded with more than 100 adults and children on a family outing The plane first struck a basebad field, then bounced irxo and killed a man who

was running off the field, ft sk dded along another 100 feet, leaving a wide path of burning grass and crashed into a cinder-block garage which was used as a bathhouse

About 30 persons were sheltering from a thunderstorm in the batb-bobse. which burst into flames Mos« of the deed and injured were in the bath-house. At the air station. Captain Butler was placed under sedation. He was not allowed to talk with reporters, and was repotted to be mentally depressed and disturbed over the crash. The Matton’s administrative officer. Commander Paul Bardick. said the plane may have had an electrical failure as it approached the runway. Among the dead were a mother, her 10-year-old daughter and four-year-old son, and another mother and her 10-year-old daughter.