dra wn ▁from ▁use ▁and ▁scra pped . ▁▁ 2 3 ▁August ▁Three ▁USA AC ▁bom bers ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Squadron , ▁March ▁Field , ▁California , ▁make ▁a ▁practice ▁flight ▁over ▁the ▁San ▁Bernard ino ▁Valley ▁with ▁orders ▁to ▁make ▁land ings ▁and ▁take offs ▁from ▁the ▁ 7 0 - acre ▁sod ▁Sh and in ▁Hills ▁Airport ▁in ▁San ▁Bernard ino ▁and ▁then ▁return ▁to ▁base . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁do ▁so ▁without ▁incident ▁but ▁as ▁Ke yst one ▁B - 4 A , ▁ 3 2 - 1 3 0 , ▁pil oted ▁by ▁L t . ▁Kenneth ▁P . ▁Gard ner , ▁with ▁five ▁en list ed ▁crew ▁ab o ard , ▁approaches ▁the ▁boundary ▁at ▁ 0 8 3 0 ▁h rs ., ▁an ▁" air ▁pocket " ▁causes ▁the ▁bom ber ▁to ▁drop ▁suddenly ▁and ▁the ▁under car riage ▁is ▁sh orn ▁off ▁as ▁the ▁plane ▁strik es ▁an ▁emb ank ment ▁on ▁the ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁field . ▁" The ▁pilot ▁' g unn ed ' ▁his ▁mot ors , ▁lif ting ▁the ▁ship ▁back ▁into ▁the ▁air ▁moment arily , ▁and ▁then ▁settled ▁down ▁for ▁a ▁landing ▁on ▁the ▁fus el age ▁and ▁the ▁lower ▁wings . ▁The ▁plane ▁sl id ▁along ▁for ▁ 1 0 0 ▁yards ▁before ▁it ▁stopped , ▁its ▁nose ▁in ▁the ▁sand . ▁The ▁bom ber ▁did ▁not ▁over turn , ▁a ▁fact ▁which ▁probably ▁saved ▁the ▁pilot ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁from ▁injury .