Robert R. Brown

© Enid Morning News

10-31-1983

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

© Glenn

December 29, 1925 - October 29, 1983

The two well known Alva businessmen were returning from the OU - Kansas Football game were killed Saturday night when their twin engine plane crashed in a hilly wheat field.

Killed were pilot Robert R. Brown , 57, owner and builder of Robert R. Brown Lumber Co., and Jack D. Leslie , 50 , who has been with Central National Bank of Alva for 18 years.

The crash occurred about 8 pm but authorities said the wreckage went unnoticed for about 12 hours. A passer by , Ron Sproul of Isabella , saw the debris and contacted the Major County Sheriff's department.

Brown and Leslie described as experienced pilots, served on Alva's five member airport board.

Deputy Walt Meadows said both bodies were found inside the plane, a 310 B Cessna thought to have been owned by Brown.

No cause of the crash has been determined , but authorities at the scene speculated that engine trouble developed and the pilot tried to land in a field softened by rains earlier in the day.

Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration arrived her Sunday night. They delayed the start of their probe until this morning .

Preliminary inspection showed the Cessna hit the field from the northwest at a high speed and cartwheeled for about an eighth of a mile. Fuel tanks were ripped open, deputies said, but there was no fire or explosion.

Debris was scattered for about a quarter mile with the engines about 200 yards beyond where the fuselage stopped.

The landing gear on the plane appeared to be up, indicating the pilot tried to belly land the plane on the field , deputies said.

The nearest dwelling was about a half mile away, they said.

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