Beck enlisted in the RAMC in 1915, in Halifax, N.S, serving at the No. 7 Stationary Hospital. He transferred to the RFC in December, 1917. After five months of training at Farnborough Aircraft Park, Beck was posted to Ismalia, Egypt to complete his flight training. At this point Beck had a total of 32 hours of dual and solo flying time and was a qualified Flight Cadet, one step below a fully qualified pilot. The A-W FK8 aircraft in use that day had just finished a 55 minute dual instruction flight by 2Lt Edward Bertram Ward (British) and 2Lt John Tennant Molteno (British). Capt. Harold Rolfe Gardner (British) instructed Flight cadet Oscar E. Overhuber (44 hrs. dual & solo) to take the FK for a 'passenger flight. Beck volunteered as passenger. Overhuber asked mechanic George Edge which tank had been used for the flight just completed, and was told the rear tank. He announced he would use the front tank and made the changes to the controls to do this. NO ONE CHECKED THE FRONT TANK. Overhuber took the FK up and at a height of 100 feet the engine stopped, the FK stalled and crashed, killing both occupants.

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