The Washington herald., 1908-05-15
WRIGHT AEROPLANE
WRECKED BY ERROR
Machine Comes to GriefAfter
Marvellous Flight.
NAVIGATOR MADE a MISTAKE
Covers Eight Miles I'm Perfect Con-
treI When Wrong Manipulation of
Lever Dashes AfrshiP to Ground,
Where II Is Smashed Like an Egg
sheil-W. Wright Escapes Injury.

Manteo. s c.. May 1A-After the great
est Of airship flights this afternoon. the
machine OF Wilbur and Orvine Wright
was smashed into an unacceptable mass.
The navigator Of the machine. Wilbur
Wright escaped from the accident prac-
tically unhurt, having received nothing
more than a scratch Oh his face.
The machine had already flown eight
miles in seven minutes and forty seconds.
and under beautiful control.
The wrecking of it was due to an error
on the part of the navigator in directing
flight in downward course. It was de-
signed by the navigator to elevate its
course. Instead Of working the lever 10
accomplish that result he worked it so
as to direct the course Of the machine
stin further downward.
Airship Is Smashed.
Responding instantly to the influence
OF the lever the machine shot downward
and to the ground with great rapidity.
AS strongly as it was put together It
was crushed like an egg shell.
Wilbur Wright's luck, which has stood
by him ever since he has commenced
bis ascents in the air, was stiH with him.
The machine was wrecked behind q sand
hin two miles from the point from which
it was started.
Rising from a point near the house in
which it is stored. the machine flew
away with twice the speed of a Bird
It's course was directed north along the
beach for a mile and a half, when it
was turned TO the westward flying high
over a small sand hill and passing be-
tween two large ones.
II was then made to circle stfn an
other sand hill, the farthest point in
their circling movement being two miles
from where the machine started On its
magnificent flight The course of the
machine was then directed back toward
the starting point
Retraces His Course.
Travelling under a speed which caused
the few witnesses Of the fight to marvel,
but under perfect control. Wilbur Wright
kept the machine up ard continued the
fight, following the Identical Course he
did when the machine first got under
way. All continued to go well until the
fatal mistake behind the last sand hill.
The total distance flown Is computed
by adding together the two miles be-
tween farthest points travelled three
times and an allowance Of two miles. a
conservative estimate for the many long
curves and angles made.
While doubtless happy in the knowledge
that they have accomplished marvellous
things in the science of aerial navigation.
the wrecking Of their machine, which
they priced over all wealth, was a great
disappointment TO the Wright brothers
they state, however, that they will i'm
mediately pack up the wreckage Of their
machine and ship it back to their home
in Dayton, Ohio
Orville Wright had intended leaving
here Monday to prepare for q trip to Eu-
rope, having engagements there with rep
resentatives Of foreign governments who
have been attraeted by the possibilities
Of their machine.
Due to Inexperience.
Not since the Wrights have been here
did their machine appear so complete
an instrument as 1t did to-day,
The fatal mistake was the result of IL
experience with the operation Of the new
steering gear which the brothers had
perfected and installed IN the machine
IT'S working was satisfactory. but requir-
ed practice for instantaneous manipula-
ton.
Another extraordinary fight. compare
lively 8 short one. was made by the ma