AIRMAN BADLY INJURED AS 

PLANE HITS PERSIMMON TREE.

__________

     Raleigh, Jan. 30.—While attempting to take to the air again on the trip to Raleigh, airplane No. 24, of Langley field, Norfolk, in charge of Lieutenant James, pilot, and his mechanic, Sergeant Pemberton, crashed into a persimmon tree at Wendell [Wake County] Thursday, breaking the arm and dislocating the shoulder of Sergeant Pemberton and badly damaging the machine.
     The airmen alighted at Wendell for gas and repairs about 1 o'clock. The landing was made safely, but it was when attempting to start the flight toward Raleigh that the machine crashed into the tree.

[Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, NC) 31 Jan 1919]