Mike Palm's Plane Strikes Telephone Post After Landing in Field After Dark, Aug. 19, 1921

Plane Damaged When It Lands. . . Neither Pilot Nor Passenger Is Injured in Plaza Accident

An airplane, piloted by Mike Palm of Lincolnton, and carrying an extra passenger, crashed into a telephone post in making a landing in a field adjacent the Plaza last night shortly after 9 o’clock. The two men were uninjured. They came into the city and spent the night at a local hotel. The left wing of the plane was smashed, but it was not otherwise damaged.

The plane passed over Charlotte at a high attitude, the whir of the motor attracting the attention of hundreds who were on the streets. Many thought it was a plane passing over the city on a long-distance flight. Several saw it go down in the eastern part of the city and expressions of fear for the safety of the passengers were heard.

Mr. Palm was coming to Charlotte to give exhibition flights, it was understood. He left Lincolnton about 8:30 o’clock last night, counting on the brilliant moon-light to guide him on the way and make landing safe.

The machine had landed and was brought to a stop when the left wing struck a telephone post. The three posts in the field were painted a dark green and were not visible to an aviator. It was considered fortunate that he missed the posts in coming to the ground.

Members of the city police department were called to the scene by persons in the neighborhood who saw the plane go down and heard the crash. Officers were unable to locate Palm and his companion upon their arrival and fears were entertained that they had been injured and were endeavoring to make their way to a house for assistance. The officers searched throughout the neighborhood and then returned to the city.

The aviators left immediately following the crash for the business section. The plane was to be repaired today. The damage did not amount to a great deal, persons who inspected the plane said. That the plane hit the telephone post with a wing was considered fortunate for the occupants also, because had the plane gone 15 feet further it would have struck an embankment and perhaps turned on its nose. It had touched the ground perhaps 50 feet before striking the post.

The name of the passenger with Palm could not be learned Saturday morning owing to inability to locate either of the two men. They were about the city preparing to make repairs to the ship. The plane is owned by a Mr. Fisher of Concord, having been sold to him sometime ago by H.L. Morrow and company, of this city, airplane salesmen.

From the front page of The Charlotte News, Saturday, August 20, 1921