A view of the near-fatal crash of Howard Hughes' XF-11 in Culver City, California.

A view of the near-fatal crash of Howard Hughes' XF-11 in Culver City, California.

Howard Hughes on a ladder, climbing into the XF-11. A police officer is seen in the background.

An overhead view of the near-fatal crash of Howard Hughes' XF-11 in Culver City, California.

Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: new York Hails Hughes and Companions, New York City --- In the greatest reception since Lindbergh's, Howard Hughes and his four gallant companions paraded up Broadway July 15 almost smothered beneath Manhattan's ticker tape accolade recognizing their record-smashing Round-the-World flight. This picture shows Hughes, center, waving to the cheering thousands. On the left is Grover Whalen, commissioner of the New York 1939 World's Fair and on the right is Al Lodwick, Hughes' flight manager. 7-15-38. Credit Line (ACME)."

An aerial view of a crowd consisting of thousands of people who attended a parade that celebrated Howard Hughes completion of his flight round-the-world flight in New York City.

From the Howard Cannon Photograph Collection (PH-00192). Left to right are R. W. Notti (Assistant City Manager), A. H. Kennedy (City Manager), Cannon, Shirley Ballinger (City Clerk), Mayor C. D. Baker, Commissioner E. W. Fountain, Commissioner Reed Whipple, Commissioner Harris P. Sharp, and Commissioner Wendell Bunker.