The Cumberland Times-News reported the following on June 4, 1934:
Harvey Johnson was badly burned when flames destroyed a P-12 Army airplane he was refueling. Badly burned about the body, hands, and legs, Harvey Johnson, 19, is in serious condition at Memorial Hospital. The youth, employed at the Mexico Farms Airport, leaped from the plane, his clothing afire, and tried to extinguish the blaze which enveloped him. Spectators tried to strip the burning garments from the youth as he screamed with pain. He was hurried to the hospital, where his condition was unchanged at an early hour today. Efforts on the part of others at the airport to save the single engine US Army bi-plane proved to be to no avail, and in a short time it was destroyed and all that remained was a small pile of twisted steel. A spectator, who authorities were told was warned against smoking, was said to have lighted a match, igniting the fumes. The airplane was on its way to Bolling Field in Washington, DC when the pilot, Lt. Newton H. Crumley, was forced to land at the local airport several days ago while en route from Washington to Selfridge Field, Michigan. Serious engine trouble caused him to remain until another motor was installed after which Lt. Crumley hopped off on a test flight. After landing from the test flight he ordered the plane refueled before taking off for his base. It is expected that an agent from the Dept. of Commerce will come here today to investigate.
Photo of the P-12, and later, Lt. Crumley standing by the aircraft after the fire.
When Lt. Crumley was later transferred to Bolling Field he became friends with many of the local fliers at Mexico Farms, since they had testified as to his innocence at his US Army Court Martial trial, concerning the burning of the P-12. Floyd Johnson related that Landis even let Crumley fly his Pitcairn, something he never offered to other pilots. When Crumley landed the Pitcairn Landis said, “OK, I let you fly my airplane, now let me fly your airplane” (meaning the US Army Boeing P-12 Fighter). Landis undoubtedly could have handled the P-12 well but Crumley could not return the favor as the craft was US Government property. Eleven years later, when Landis was a First Lieutenant serving in the US Army Air Force Service Pilot during WW II, he flew into Minder Air Force Base, Bakersfield, CA in July 1945. Landis, who was later promoted to Captain, had been flying Douglas C-54’s over the Hump in the China-Burma-India Theater of War and was seeking an aircraft departure clearance. Glancing at the bulletin board, he noticed a Colonel Newton H. Crumley listed. Landis inquired of a sergeant, “Who was this Colonel Crumley?” The sergeant answered, “He’s the base commander and he is standing next to you.” Landis turned and asked the Colonel, “Have you burned up any P-12’s lately?” With that Colonel Crumley recognized Landis and they had an enjoyable reunion at Crumley’s home. Since that time, the two men maintained a steady correspondence and exchanged family pictures. Early in the 1960’s, after he had left the Air Force, Colonel Crumley was killed when his Aero-Commander aircraft crashed in Nevada, due to heavy icing conditions.
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Wings Over Cumberland 