Tail Surfaces

This airplane is a Travel Air Model A-6000-A, manufacturer’s serial number 816. It was manufactured 2/10/28 by Travel Air Manufacturing Company, Inc., Wichita, KS. It came from the factory with a 425 HP Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine, S/N 913. The six-place airplane weighed 5,250 pounds.

The number 9015 was temporarily assigned until ATC # 116 was awarded in March, 1929. This called for larger tail surfaces, which were installed at the factory, inspected and approved on 3/22/29. The airplane was purchased on 12/12/28 “for pleasure” by movie actor Wallace Beery of 921 Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills, CA for $18,500. This image, right, shows Beery, left, in 1928 with Walter Beech with the new Travel Air.

Now comes 9015 to Tucson on 12/18/1928 piloted by Mr. Beery (transport license #3298). He carried George Maves as passenger. They were westbound from Wichita, KS to Los Angeles, CA during what was undoubtedly the first flight of this new airplane from the factory to its new home on the west coast.

The second visit to Tucson comes a few months later on 3/14/1929. The airplane was again piloted by Mr. Beery carrying a full load of five passengers from Los Angeles to El Paso, TX.

A year later, on 3/25/30 at Alhambra, CA, pilot George H. Maves (transport license #3844) crashed with the airplane. Maves and two passengers, Cynthia D. Maves and Lyn Hayes, were killed when the airplane, “nose-dived while attempting to land, probably failure of tail surfaces.” Beery was not in the airplane.

One contemporary news article (New York Sun March 25, 1930) states that Maves was Beery's personal pilot. But, another article (Newark Evening News March 25, 1930) has Beery stating that he was unaware that Maves had taken the plane from its hangar, stating further that Maves had been employed only to take care of the plane on the ground, and never had his permission to use the ship for personal flights.

Regardless, all occupants were burned beyond recognition, and the airplane was a total washout. The registration for this two year old airplane was cancelled on 4/25/30.

UPLOADED: 08/16/05 REVISED: 03/06/06