Death & Bolivar

''I don't like the way our pilots are stunting over this crowd," said the President-Elect Eduardo Santos last week to War Minister Alberto Pumarejo as they stood on a brilliantly bedight reviewing stand, surrounded by Colombian dignitaries and their wives, watching a review opening Bogota's great new military field, Campo de Marte.

"The pilots assured me they would avoid dangerous acrobatics," nervously replied the War Minister, eyeing the visible perturbation of the Corps Diplomatique in their grandstand a few yards away. "I agree with you."

Not 30 seconds later acrobatic Flight Lieutenant Abadia, who once was suspended from the air service for "imprudent flying," decided to finish off with a super-spectacular dive ending in a "half roll" swoop between the two grandstands, barely far enough apart for his plane to have room to pass between. Crash--one wingtip hit the Diplomatic Stand. CRASH --the plane rebounded against the Presidential Stand, burst into flame and sprayed burning gasoline as its propeller slashed human flesh. The whole flaming mass crunched down upon spectators between the stands, slithered 65 feet.

Instantly killed were 34, including Lieutenant Abadia. Many of the 150 injured were taken to hospitals where eight later died. There were no serious injuries among diplomats or dignitaries, although a few had to snuff out drops of burning gasoline. A broken part which came hurtling off the plane bruised the wife of the Japanese Charge d'Affaires.

It was verified that all pilots had received orders not to fly lower than 500 feet. South Americans especially regretted that the Colombian tragedy occurred on the 155th anniversary of the birth of their great hero, Simon Bolivar.

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