Frank H. Goldsborough (1910 - July 16, 1930) was a record holding aviator who died in a dramatic plane crash in Vermont.

Birth

Frank was born in Maryland in 1910. His father was Brice Goldsborough (1891-1927) who had died in a plane crash as he tried to cross the Atlantic from Newfoundland. Frank's stepmother was named Gertrude. Frank was born in Washington. By time he was 18 the family was living in New York where he attended Flushing High School in Queens.

National Air Tour of 1930

Frank held the junior transcontinental air speed record until his death. The record was then broken by Eddie August Schneider (1910-1940) on August 19, 1930 just a month after Frank's death. In 1930 Frank was living with his stepmother at 4114 75th Street in Queens, New York. On April and May of 1930 he wrote a series of exclusive stories for the New York Times about his exploits in the National Air Tour. Time magazine wrote the following on May 12, 1930:

A flight from New York to Los Angeles, begun on Monday and completed Sunday, is not in itself remarkable. But if the flyer be the young son of a crack airman who met spectacular death; and if the boy seeks a "junior speed record," public fancy is captured. Last week Frank Goldsborough, 19, son of the late Brice Goldsborough, crossed the U. S. in 34 hr. 3 min. flying time, in a biplane named American Boy. Previous "record" of 48 hr., set last year by 18-year-old Richard James, was spread over a month elapsed time. Young Goldsborough's flight was punctuated by forced landings. Overtaken by darkness near El Paso, he settled down on the desert beside a truck. "Two prospectors were in it. They treated me royally, shared their food and water with me. In taking off next morning along a narrow road lined by telegraph poles, I had a cross wind and just clipped the lower left wing tip, but I got into the air safely."

Plane crash

His plane crashed in Vermont on July 15, 1930. His passenger Don Mockler, walked away from the crash, dazed but alive and went for help. Frank was trapped in the wreakage with a head injury for 18 hours before he was rescued alive, but not conscience. All his teeth had been knocked out and he was carried away by rescuers on a makeshift stretcher made from a parachute to the home of Harry C. Jenkins. He died on July 16, 1930 at Putnam Memorial Hospital in Bennington, Vermont without regaining consciousness. The story of his death appeared in the New York Times on July 17, 1930, and his obituary appeared on July 19, 1930.

Funeral

He was buried on July 19, 1930 at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Charles Lindbergh sent flowers.

Timeline

• 1910 Birth
• 1930 Set transcontinental airspeed record
• 1930 Living at 4114 75th Street in Queens, New York
• 1930 Died in crash in Vermont

Selected coverage in the New York Times

• New York Times, April 29, 1930, page 18, "Boy flies from St. Louis to Westfield, NJ: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, April 30, 1930, page 05, "Goldsborough held at Tulsa by weather: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, May 01, 1930, page 36, "Goldsborough bucks wind"
• New York Times, May 04, 1930, page 03, "Goldsborough forced back by storm: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, May 05, 1930, page 33, "Goldsborough ends flight with record: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, May 08, 1930, page 08, "Hop today planned by Goldsborough: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, May 09, 1930, page 15, "Goldsborough lands at El Paso for the night"
• New York Times, May 10, 1930, page 03, "Goldsborough races storm to Tulsa: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, May 12, 1930, page 03, "Flier, 19 ends trip minus compass: by Frank Goldsborough"
• New York Times, July 15, 1930, page 01, "Goldsborough crashes on Vermont mountain"
• New York Times, July 16, 1930, page 03, "Find Goldsborough near death on peak"
• New York Times, July 17, 1930, page 01, "Goldsborough, boy flier, dies of injuries"
• New York Times, July 18, 1930, page 28, "Goldsborough felt warning of disaster"
• New York Times, July 19, 1930, page 06, "Frank Goldsborough, young flier buried"

Coverage in Time magazine

• Time, May 12, 1930; "Flights & Flyers"

External link

• Findagrave: Frank Goldsborough