Early Air Tragedies

On June 24, 1937, Earl S. Rentz, pilot, and Elliott H. Netzer, passenger, died in a 15,000 foot plunge, as their plane crashed at dawn 3 miles from Moorhead. The weather observation plane had departed from Hector Airport and was the first fatal plane crash associated with the airport.

On October 30, 1941, pilot Clarence Bates was one of the few survivors in a crash that killed 14 on a Northwest flight bound to Fargo. Two Fargo residents, E.A. King and Ned Wells, were among the fatalities. Ice was believed to be the cause of the crash.

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