The San Francisco call., 1908-09-18
AEROPLANE FLIGHT
HAS TRAGIC END
Continued from Page 1, Column

message be sent to his sister and
father at Dayton, o., assuring them
that he was all right.
Two thousand persons We're at the
aeronautical testing grounds at Fort
Myer this afternoon.
Wright announced several days ago
that he would take Lieutenant Selfridge,
who is secretary of the Aerial Expert
ment association and an aeroplanist
himself, in his next flight. The young
officer was delighted to. have an op
portunity to make the trip. He was TO
leave Saturday for st. Joseph, Mo,
where he was to assist Lieutenant
Foulers in operating the Baldwin air
ship at the coming army maneuvers.
FLIGHT Is STARTED
After Wright told him to get in the
machine Lieutenant Selfridge took off
his coat and took his place in the ex-
ira seat next TO that occupied by
Wright. The latter started the motor
by means of a storage battery, his as
sistants, Taylor and Furnass, turning
the propellers to get them going. AT
5:l4 the aeropane was released and it
was noticed that 1t did not rise as
quickly from the ground as on pre-
vious two man flights. Lieutenant
Selfridge weighed about IT'S pounds.
-
machine had ever carried before.
After gliding over the ground its
runners for so feet the machine rose
gradually and had gained a height of
40 feet when it passed over the starting
apparatus for the first time. There was
six mile wind. The aeroplanist. how
ever apparently had control of the
aerial flyer, which rose to a height of
IS feet as it completed the second round
of the field This height was main
tanned on the third round.
While the machine was turning at
the southern end of the field, several
thousand feet from the spectators. the
aeroplane was seen to turn over on its
left side and, pausing moment, made
a complete turn and then came swoop-
ing to the earth in a cloud of dust.
PLANES AND RUDDERs USELESS
No effort on the part of the aviator
could possibly have averted the acef
dent Planes and rudders were abso-
lutely incapable of righting the ma
chine when it had turned in that man
ner Spectators, soldiers and officers
ran across the field. 1t was fully a
minute before any one reached the
tangled mass.
Mounted soldiers formed Gordon
around the wreckage, while others
frenziedly endeavored to lift the heavy
mass of machinery and wood that
pinned Wright and Selfridge to the
ground.
A piece of the wooden framework
was broken off as a half dozen men
endeavored- to free the injured men.
AS soon as they could be extricated
they were taken to one side and ply
sicians from the crowd of spectators
went to their aid
At 10 minutes after o'clock Leuten-
- - Il
consciousness He was expecting his
mother, who lives In San Francisco, to
arrive in Washington this month. He
was a nephew of Admiral Selfridge and
had a brother who is an officer in the
navy.
Glenn II. Curtiss of the aerial expert
ment association notified Lieutenant
Selfridges family In San Francisco.
NEW PRoPELLERS USED
Wright yesterday replaced the pro-
pellers which he has been using with
another pair, the blades of which are
six inches longer. They were used for
the first time in today's disastrous
fight and many who have witnessed
Wright's flights at Fort Myer believe
the change of propellers caused the ac-
cident
An examination of the broken blade
showed that it had snapped off at a
point one-fourth of the distance from
the hub. A deep indentation of the
broken piece indicated that it had
struck some other part of the aero
plane.
officers of the signal corps and other
enthusiasts at Fort Myer were inclined
to express the belisf that today's ac-
cident was not due to faulty prin-
ciple. but to defect in the propeller.
which was made of spruce. One of
the members of the signal corps board
who had been conducting the Fort Myer
tests. said:
The resumption OF the aeroplane
trials will depend on the length of
time which it will take Wright to re-
cover from his injuries. This acci-
dent will. of course. seriously hamper
the possibility of securing appropria-
tions from congress for the aeronautical
work of the signal corps. The Wright