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The Plaskett Family

More than a century on the Big Sur coast

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Navy Pilot Parachute Failure in Panama

· 1920s-1930s

Myrtle Sans's son jumped from his crippled plane over Panama so the others might make it. His parachute failed.

Myrtle Rae Sans, daughter of Charles Sans, had a son who was a Navy pilot. During a mission in Panama, the pilot intentionally jumped from his plane to make it lighter so the other pilot could land it. However, his parachute failed to open, and he was killed. Myrtle herself died at age 23 in Mayfield and is buried near Los Altos.

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