Sterling Cottrell Plane Crash (page 1)
In July of 1945 Sterling started taking flying lessons. He took dual instruction until 15 Nov 1945 when he was signed off to fly solo. Sterling flew three more times until 20 Dec 1945. He had promised his wife he would not fly again and he did not fly again until 1 Jul 1946. At that time he received dual instruction in an Aeronca and was signed off to fly it solo. He had previously flown solo only 1 hour & 40 minutes.
On Monday afternoon, 8 July 1946, Sterling left Ripon airport in the Aeronca for a solo flight and flew over the farm of his close friend Henry Meyerholtz. Click here for their family tree connection. According to eye witness reports, he first flew low over the field where his friend was working in the field and a short time later returned and appeared to be attempting to fly upside down when he crashed in the field near his friend. It is not known if the crash was because he was attempting to fly upside down and lost control or if he lost control for some other reason.
Sterling's log book does not indicate that he had received any aerobatic training. It is possible that for some reason he blacked out but that can not be known as an autopsy was not performed. The fact that he had not flown for six months could also have been a factor. The newspaper indicated that he was a licensed pilot. He only had 14 hours flight time and was only signed off to fly solo as a student pilot. It takes a minimum of 40 hours flight time to be a licensed pilot. The article also said that Sterling came to "Ripon frequently for flights" but his log book indicates that was only his second flight from Ripon.
The following is from The Ripon Commonwealth, 12 Jul 1946.
The incorrect spelling of Sterling's last name and his home town of Poy Sippi were left as they appeared in the article
Sterling Cottril, 36, Dies When Aircraft Crashes in Cornfield
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 Sterling Cottrill, 36, was killed when the plane he was piloting crashed about 3 o'clock Monday afternoon on the H. Mererholtz farm about five miles southwest of Ripon. The plane was an Aeronca, belonging to the Ripon Aviation company. Cottrill whose home is south of Poy Sippi, is survived by his widow and four children. The wreckage of the plane is shown above, shortly after the tragedy. Farmers working in the nearby field believed Cottrill was trying to "buzz" the field.
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Sterling Cottril, 36, Poysippi was killed instantly about 2:30 o'clock Monday afternoon when the plane which he was piloting crashed into a cornfield on the Henry Meyerholtz farm about five miles southwest of Ripon and three miles east of Green Lake.
The plane, a familiar blue and yellow Aeronca seen frequently on pleasure flights over Ripon was completely demolished. It belonged to the Ripon Aviation company.
Flying Alone
Cottril was flying alone at the time of the tragedy. According to Coroner John Boyd of Green Lake county, his investigation showed that Cottril took of from the Ripon airport for a solo flight at 1:35 p.m. Monday afternoon. The accident happened at 2:30.
Henry Meyerholtz, on whose farm the crash occurred, was said by the coroner to have reported seeing Cottril flying low over him in his field and waving. Meyerholtz told the coroner that the plane was flying in the direction of the lake. A few minutes later, Meyerholtz said the plane
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First word of the tragedy to reach the Commonwealth office came from Mrs. Fred Luchsinger who called immediately, giving us an opportunity to get first-hand information of the crash and the pictures which are printed herewith. The commonwealth takes this opportunity to thank Mrs. Luchsinger and to encourage others to remember "Ripon's Picture Newspaper" in news tips.
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reappeared and looked as if it were flying upside down. "It was headed right for me," Meyerholtz said.
Leaps from Tractor
The farmer was so convinced that the plane was going to hit him that he leaped from his tractor and ran out of the way
The plane struck in a large corn field and rolled about 25 yards before coming to a halt. Parts of the propeller were left in the hole caused by the first impact, and pieces of the plane were strewn over a small area. Witnesses running to the scene cut the lifeless body of the pilot from the wreckage. A full tank of gasoline was not ignited in the crash.
Jam Field
Sightseers jammed the field after word of the accident reached here. More than 75 cars were crowded into an adjoining hay field in the early evening and hundreds went into the corn field for a close view of the wreckage. Men, women, and children of all ages climbed a rocky fence line and crossed barbed wire to look upon Ripon's first peace time aircraft tragedy
Officials of the Aviation company here were unable to explain the cause of the accident. Cottril had been in the habit of coming to Ripon frequently for flights, they said. He was a registered pilot, according to reports.
Funeral services for Sterling Cottril were held at 2: p.m. Thursday at Poysippi from the Seventh Day Adventists church. The dead man leaves a widow and four children.
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