Pilot Raymond Fisher

Local Pilot has Thrilling Escape From the San Francisco Examiner, July 23rd, 1921.

“When his engine suddenly stopped 5,000 feet in the air over Crater Lake, Oregon, Forest Service Aviator Raymond Fisher was forced to land on Wizard Island in the middle of the deepest lake in North America.

The plane was not damaged in the descent, but Fisher on examination, found four of the spark plugs of the engine broken. Using the wireless he was successful in reaching another forest service plane in the area. This second plane sped to Medford, Oregon with the news of Fisher’s plight.

He returned with help but found it impossible to land on the tiny island. Several sets of spark plugs were sent down by parachute. Using a torch Fisher was able to find one of the sets of spark plugs and after repairing his plane was able to take off and return to safety at the Medford, Oregon base.

In 1925 a little known airman named Charles Lindbergh stopped in Des Moines at the Fisher Flying Field. He had his picture taken with Ray Fisher and several of the other pilots and reserve Army Corps. Raymond Fisher, uncle of Frank Williams of Carlisle, was truly an aviation pioneer. Ray established the Fisher Flying Field on the Southeast side of Des Moines and gave flying lessons there until his death in a plane crash in 1926.

He was only 27 years old. He is buried at the Avon Cemetery. His is the only marker with an etching of a plane. According to newspaper reports at the time, Ray had expressed this sentiment to his mother “If I am killed while flying, you will know that I died doing this thing I would rather do than anything in the world”. Raymond Fisher graduated from Carlisle High School.

Thanks to Frank Williams.