William S. MacLaren and Beryl Hart
Toronto Daily Star, September 17 1930
Lieutenant William S. MacLaren and Beryl Hart, who was a 27-year-old widow, were planning to be the first pilots to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in a plane containing cargo. On January 7 1931, they flew to Bermuda on the first leg of their journey, becoming the first pilots to fly there non-stop from the United States. They then took off on the second leg, heading for the Azores, but failed to make it.
Searches turned up:
- Video footage of Lt. MacLaren and Ms. Hart taking off from New York City;
- An article from The Bermudian describing the first leg of their flight;
- A Time magazine report of their being lost at sea.
Between 1927 and January 1931, 17 planes failed to make it across the Atlantic Ocean, causing 31 pilots to be lost, including four women.
Created September 16, 2025.