f ight ing ’ ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁accident . ▁They ▁were ▁flying ▁in ▁a ▁three - ship ▁formation ▁of ▁purs uit ▁plan es ▁in ▁a ▁man oe u ver ▁designed ▁to ▁perfect ▁them ▁in ▁flying ▁solo ▁plan es . ▁Official s ▁said , ▁however , ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁supposed ▁to ▁ad here ▁to ▁their ▁formation , ▁and ▁not ▁simulate ▁actual ▁dual ▁combat ▁in ▁the ▁air . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁officers ▁this ▁was ▁what ▁caused ▁the ▁accident . ▁After ▁the ▁plan es ▁inter locked ▁and ▁pl ung ed ▁together ▁toward ▁the ▁earth , ▁the ▁two ▁pil ots ▁made ▁perfectly ▁tim ed ▁par ach ute ▁j umps . ▁The ▁plan es ▁did ▁not ▁become ▁dis eng aged ▁until ▁they ▁were ▁ 5 0 0 ▁feet ▁above ▁the ▁ground . ▁Both ▁were ▁demol ished , ▁even ▁the ▁mot ors ▁being ▁hop eless ly ▁w reck ed . ▁The ▁matter ▁will ▁be ▁referred ▁to ▁an ▁investig ating ▁board ▁Friday , ▁which ▁will ▁decide ▁on ▁the ▁advis ability ▁of ▁putting ▁the ▁case ▁before ▁a ▁court ▁mart ial .” Associ ated ▁Press , ▁“ B attle ▁St unt ▁Cr ash ▁Pro bed ▁- ▁Student ▁F liers ▁Es cape ▁Death ▁But ▁Face ▁Tri al ▁for ▁D uel ▁in ▁Sk ies ,” ▁The ▁San ▁Bernard ino ▁Daily ▁Sun , ▁San ▁Bernard ino , ▁California , ▁Friday ▁ 2 8 ▁October ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁Volume ▁L X I , ▁Number ▁ 5 8 , ▁page ▁ 1 . ▁Curt iss ▁AT - 4 <0x09> H awk ,