Harry J. Tucker

Lockheed 5 Vega

From the 24th to the 25th of last October, the aircraft's owner Harry J. Tucker and his pilot Charles B. D. Collyer completed a nonstop flight from New York to Los Angeles in 24 hours and 51 minutes, establishing a new record. In the afternoon of the 3rd of November, they decided to return to the Big Apple on a new nonstop flight. While overflying Arizona by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to fog and rain. The aircraft named 'Yankee Doodle' hit a canyon wall located northwest of Black Canyon City and was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Both occupants were killed.