Not so successful, but a test of Cliff's pilot skill, happened in August of 1935 with a flight departing Albuquerque. Low ceilings and thunderstorms were reported to the east and several flights had been holding on the ground for improvement. A reported break in the weather and Cliff took off using the standard procedure to use the more expen sive 87 octane fuel until at cruise and then switch fuel tanks to use the cheaper 81 octane fuel until landing. Over the Sandia Mountains the fuel supply was switched to the lower octane tank and both engines quit. It was later determined that the fuel loaded at Albuquerque was from an underground storage tank that was contaminated with water. Cliff suspected the problem, he and the copilot immediately switched fuel tanks, worked the wobble pump and tried backfiring in an effort to get either or both of the engines started. Nothing worked and they were now in a steep glide with little time to spot a clearing for an emergency landing.
Cliff Abbott Circa 1936 - 1938
A message was radioed to a second section of the flight, piloted by Jim Roe, with Walt Hamilton aboard, describing the situation. They switched fuel tanks in time to avoid a similar problem. Cliff headed the plane towards US Highway 66, but he couldn't stretch the glide. Both landing flares were released and soon the plane was hitting some small trees, then a large one severed the right wing and engine and spun the plane 180 where it came to a stop. Cliff ended up against the passenger compartment door still clutching the control wheel. Both he and the copilot, Wally Jones, received some cuts and abrasions, but none of the passengers were injured. One, a Father Plummer, got out his flask and offered Cliff a drink....as Cliff put it, the only time he ever drank on a TWA plane. All of the passengers were taken by taxi to a hotel and flew out the next day. It had always been a TWA practice (a requirement when the CAA was formed in 1938) to have veteran pilots assigned as dispatchers - 28 -