Serial Number

Model

Registration

Date of Manufacturing

ATC

Price (USD)

Engine

Propeller

Current Status

History

This aircraft was sold new through Major Hugh Watson on July 17th, 1936 to E.H. Lunken, and a year later to Boyer Candler.

It was often flown by Jack McCroskey, a friend of Watson.

Next owner, “Duke” Harrah was checked out by a Leland Roskey of Niles, Michigan. Harrah sold it in June 1940 to Ray Beebe at the Municipal Airport in Hastings, Nebraska. Price was $2750.00. Beebe planned to use it in the CPTP program. Mr. Harrah instructed the new owner (Beebe) that it was a hot landing airplane and to “take it easy until he had the complete feel of the ship”, and the man stated that he was quite certain he could handle it and took it to Nebraska where in Hastings he proceeded to check out a student pilot by the name of James Smith. This was on October 7th, 1940, just before noon. Smith, of Sioux falls, South Dakota, was up with Beebe for one of his final test flights for the completion of his secondary course. The plane was being put through figure eights according to witnesses, just before it went nose down and crashed. The right wing was the first part of the airplane to strike the ground. It crashed on the Albert Jurgena farm, near Hastings, one mile west and one mile north of the airport. Beebe was in the front cockpit with Smith in the rear. Both men were killed.

Beebe came to Hastings from Lincoln in 1938 and been a flyer for the Sidles Company for a number of years. He learned to fly at St Louis, Missouri, and was a native of Pawnee City. Widely known in aviation circles, Ray was president for the past year of the Aeronautical Association of Nebraska, having been elec ted to this position in September 1939. He was only 37 years old.

Smith, who was 23, was a lay student graduate of the University of South Dakota. Most of the forward part of the airplane was destroyed. The left wing and aft part of the fuselage and the tail assembly stayed pretty much intact, as can be seen from photos of the accident.

Robertson Aircraft Corporation of Lambert Field, Robertson, (St Louis) Missouri purchased the remains to rebuild in their school with no intent of it flying.

Records indicate the airplane had a complete fuselage rebuild in 1938.

Sometime in February or March 1945 the parts were purchased by Mr. Charles P Easton, of St Louis, Missouri. He planned on a complete restoration to flying condition.

Final disposition unknown could still exist.
 

Ownership History

• W.H. Irwin, Atlanta, Georgia;

• Major Hugh Watson, (Irwin representative for the Mid West) Sharonville, Ohio;

• H.E. Lunken, Hartsdale, New York;

• Boyer Candler, Grosse Point, Michigan;

• C.C. “Duke” Harrah, Niles, Michigan;

• Ray H. Beebe, Beebe Air Service, Hastings, Nebraska;

• Charles P. Easton, St Louis, Missouri.

Current Ownership

Unknown

Notes

Via FAA records, N16033 is currently assigned to a Cessna 150L based in Juneau, Alaska, next expiry 5/31/2020

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