100 Years Ago in Coeur d’Alene: Seaplane crashes, killing 3

Hundreds of bathers on Coeur d’Alene’s city beach watched in horror as a seaplane plunged from the sky and crashed onto the sand, killing all three on board.

Witnesses said the plane had soared over the trees in the park and appeared to be preparing to glide down to a landing on the lake.

Suddenly, the plane pitched forward and hit the ground about 20 feet from the water.

The plane was “standing nose on end with the three men beneath it” and the rescuers had to turn the plane over before it was possible to get to the victims.

The pilot’s compartment and passenger compartment were “entirely demolished,” The Spokesman-Review reported.

Passenger Gust Erickson, 30, of Bonners Ferry, died instantly. The other passenger, Pete Savage, 30, of Kellogg, died on the way to the hospital. The pilot, Lt. Cleo Milton Miller, of Pullman, died shortly after reaching the hospital.

The manager of the company that operates the seaplane on the lake watched the entire accident and said he believed that the plane lost too much forward speed while Lt. Miller was attempting to land.

“I believe the plane stalled and went into a tailspin,” the manager said. “Because of the nearness of the ground it was impossible for him to right the plane before the crash.”

“Misfortune seemed to follow the plane,” The Spokesman-Review said.

The same plane, a week or so earlier, had landed on a log near the beach and knocked over an elderly lady with one of the wings. Injuries were minor in that crash.