▁into ▁the ▁ground . ▁It ▁made ▁a ▁hole ▁three ▁feet ▁deep ▁in ▁the ▁earth . ▁A ▁huge ▁ball ▁of ▁fire ▁burst ▁from ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁second ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁mass ▁of ▁fl ames , ▁easily ▁seen ▁from ▁the ▁Che y enne ▁air port ▁where ▁employ es ▁[ s ic ] ▁had ▁been ▁watching ▁the ▁plane . ▁Before ▁aid ▁could ▁reach ▁the ▁two ▁lie uten ants ▁they ▁were ▁burn ed ▁to ▁death . ▁The ▁fl ames ▁drove ▁back ▁res cu ers ▁who ▁tried ▁to ▁reach ▁them . ▁After ▁first ▁striking ▁the ▁earth ▁the ▁plane ▁b ounced ▁about ▁ 5 0 ▁yards , ▁where ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁rest . ▁The ▁plane ▁was ▁not ▁loaded ▁with ▁mail ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁crash , ▁as ▁the ▁men ▁had ▁taken ▁off ▁on ▁a ▁night ▁trial ▁run ▁to ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City . ▁They ▁recently ▁had ▁been ▁transferred ▁here ▁as ▁the ▁army ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁air ▁mail ▁lines . ▁Although ▁Ker win ▁formerly ▁lived ▁in ▁Che y enne ▁he ▁was ▁un famil iar ▁with ▁the ▁air port ▁and ▁trans cont inental ▁air ▁line ▁near ▁here . ▁Had ▁the ▁men ▁been ▁familiar ▁with ▁the ▁country ▁near ▁the ▁air port ▁it ▁was ▁believed ▁by ▁av iation ▁officials ▁they ▁could ▁have ▁made ▁a ▁safe ▁landing . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁smooth ▁fields ▁surrounding ▁the ▁air port . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁an ▁open ▁type ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁army ▁for ▁observation ▁purposes ." ▁▁ 9 ▁March ▁" H art sv ille , ▁S . ▁C ., ▁Mar . ▁ 1 0