Francis Herbert Goldsborough (1910-1930)

Frank H.erbert Goldsborough (1910-1930) Record Holding Aviator; Died in Crash (b. 1910, Maryland, USA - d. July 16, 1930, Putnam Memorial Hospital, Bennington, Vermont, USA)

Birth
Frank was born as Francis Herbert Goldsborough (1891-1927) 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 Ocean from Newfoundland. Frank's stepmother was named Gertrude. Frank was born in Washington, District of Columbia. By time he was 18 the family was living in New York where he attended Flushing High School in Queens.

Transcontinental speed record
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. In April and May of 1930 he wrote a series of exclusive first person accounts for the New York Times about his exploits in the National Air Tour and his breaking of the transcontinental air speed record. 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 United States in 34 hour 3 minutes flying time, in a biplane named American Boy. Previous "record" of 48 hours, 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.

Death
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 wreckage with a head injury for 18 hours before he was rescued alive, but not conscious. 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. Goldsborough 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 US Census at 4114 75th Street in Queens, New York
 * 1930 Died in crash in Vermont