Looking back: Rexburg pilot killed at airport and student taken to hospital after doing backflip during class

IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of Dec. 15 to Dec. 21 in east Idaho history.

1900-1925

BINGHAM COUNTY — A man had a miraculous escape from serious injury, and possibly death, while driving one night, The Bingham County News reported on Dec. 18, 1913.

Ed. Ireland was driving on a county road and was about to cross a bridge when he discovered two barbed wires that someone had stretched across the road. The barbed wires were severed by his car.

“Had his windshield been down, he might have been decapitated,” the article mentioned. “Fortunately the only damage was a broken wind shield.”

1926-1950

REXBURG — A fire in Rexburg destroyed approximately $1,500 worth of honey and equipment in a warehouse, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Dec. 15, 1936.

The fire happened on Second North Street and the items belonged to William P. Gibson. He said he had 3,000 five-gallon cans of honey in the concrete building.

A neighbor notified John Nevans, who was living in the building and there when the fire started, that the northwest corner of the structure was on fire.

Firefighters quickly put out the blaze but the roof and wood work inside was completely burned.

Personal items belonging to Nevans, Paul White and Cameron Fullmer — who were all living inside — were destroyed. White and Fullmer weren’t inside when the fire broke out.

It was speculated that sparks from a city trash pile within a half block of the building may have started the blaze.

A small amount of honey and some equipment was saved.

1951-1975

IDAHO FALLS — A Rexburg pilot died while attempting to take off from the Idaho Falls Airport, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Dec. 21, 1951.

Richard Dale Chantrill, 27, landed at the Idaho Falls Airport on Dec. 21 at 7:20 a.m. from Rexburg. He filed a flight plan with the CAA showing he intended to then travel to Pocatello. He was the only occupant of the plane.

Witnesses said Chantrill had taken off at 8 a.m. on the north south runway, traveling north into a slight north wind. The temperature was near zero degrees at the time. After taking off and climbing 300-feet in the air, witnesses said they heard the motor stop.

The plane turned west as the pilot apparently attempted to turn around to land. That’s when the plane, lacking sufficient speed, took a step dive. The plane landed nose first on the oiled northway near the northern end.

Lieutenant Robert B. McCall said Chantrill was instantly killed. His body was found slumped over the cockpit of the plane.

McCall said CAA authorities had advised the pilot against flying in the light craft during the low overcast conditions. The CAA advised the field was closed to light type of aircraft and that he was taking off at his own discretion.

Pilots at the Idaho Falls Airport believed the airplane had ice forming on it due to how cold it was outside and that that’s what lead to the fatal crash. This was the first fatal crash to take place at the airport in eight years.

Chantrill was the third son belonging to Mr. and Mrs. William Chantrill, of Rexburg, to die. One son died at birth and another in an accident.

Chantrill was born in January 1924 at Newdale. He attended schools in Shelley when he was young and later went to the schools in Rexburg. He went to aeronautics school in Los Angeles and served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served with the U.S. Marines in World War II.

Chantrill left behind his pregnant wife.

1976-2000

POCATELLO — A Highland High School student was taken to the hospital after getting injured while doing a backflip at school, the Idaho State Journal reported on Dec. 16, 1976.

Van Christensen, 16, was listed in stable condition after sustaining a “severe laceration to the head” during a physical education class.

Arpelio Sartori, Highland’s physical education teacher, said Christensen did a backflip which “he wasn’t suppose to be doing” when he missed a mat and hit his head on a stage.

The student was taken to Bannock Memorial Hospital in a private vehicle.