First Yale Plane Pilot Rejected Fatal Flight

One licensed transport pilot refused to fly the chartered DC-3 that crashed at Seattle Sunday night killing 11 Yale students, a Civil Aeronautics Board investigation revealed yesterday.

The pilot originally scheduled to take the men back to Yale in time for Monday morning classes came to the field, "felt that ice had formed on the wings," and returned home.

CAB officials reported that the Boeing Field control tower had given advice to the pilot who attempted the fatal take-off "tantamount to telling him that the field was closed."