By 1940 , the outbreak of World War II forced the Szigetis to leave Europe for the United States . ( Irene remained in Switzerland , having married pianist Nikita Magaloff earlier that year . ) They settled in California , where Wanda , always fond of nature , was delighted to be able to raise her own garden . In a letter to a friend , Szigeti describes their California life : Wanda is happy , doing wonders with her gardening , chicken and rabbit raising , preserve and pâté de foie making . She does n't budge from our place , does n't want to come back to New York even for a visit , which I , for one , can well understand ! Two dogs , an aviary full of exotic birds , tomatoes , grapes , strawberries , asparagus , artichokes , lovely flowers ( camellias too ! ) , right in our own little world . Szigeti narrowly escaped being killed in the plane crash that claimed the life of movie star Carole Lombard in January 1942 . Szigeti , who was on his way to Los Angeles for a concert , was forced to give up his seat on TWA Flight 3 at a refueling stop in Albuquerque , NM to allow the plane to take on 15 soldiers who , it being wartime , had priority . The plane , off course at night and with wartime blackout conditions in effect , crashed into a mountain cliff after take off from an intermediate stop in Las Vegas , killing everyone on board
TWA Flight 3
TWA Flight 3
Joseph Szigeti