Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-18
how IT HAPPENED UNCERTAIN
WHY AEROPLANE LOST EoUILI-
BRIUM UNEXPLAINED.
Wright Thought Transmission Went
Wrong-Propeller Blade Broke.
Theories Of Observers.

There are almost as many theories as
to the cause of the accident to the Wright
aeroplane at Fort Myer yesterday as there
were spectators, and no two accounts Of
what happened in the air agree in their
entirety
One thing is certain, that one blade OF
the right-hand propeller broke in the
middle and flew out into space. This was
the beginning Of the end. But just what
relation it bore to the final disaster can
never be told.
The War DEPARTMENT board which is to
examine the wreck and report on 1t today
may find some tangible bit Of evidence
on which to base conclusion. But even
an examination of the wreck may prove
little.
Where two pieces of the mechanism are
found broken it will be hard to say which
broke first and which caused the break
ing of the other.
Some of the soldiers who saw the acci-
dent declare that the upper support of
the rear rudder broke, and that this fell
on the propeller and snapped it in two.
This does not sound probable. as there
was little strain on the rudder support.
1t has stood all the other flights without
sign Of weakness.
Strain Too Much.
It is also said that the propeller broke
simply because it could not stand the
strain Of the air against it. This seems
probable, as the new propeller was larger
in area than the old one, and was run
ming at higher speed.
Wright himself says he does not know
what gave way first. He heard a noise
behind him. and knew that some hing
was wrong with the propeller gear. He
thought from the sound it was the chain
of transmission. He cut off the spark to
ease the engine.
what the result would be if one of his
prOpellers broke while the machine was
in flight. 1.-The other propeller would
tend to turn the machine around he
said. but would stop the motor and
glide to the EARTH
Wright believes that he would have been
able to land safely had he been fifty
feet higher in the air at the time Of the
accident.
Another theory advanced by 6everal
witnesses Is that one of the supports Of
the rudder snapped off and was struck by
the propeller. which. in turn. was broken
off. This would cause the other propeller
to swing the machine around.
Lieut.. Frank Iahm of the Signal Corps,
who was among those first on the scene,
Immediately took evidence from specta-
tors From the latest accounts of close
eye-witnesses the piece broken from the
propeller StTuCk one OF the supports or
the rudder. The machine did not travel
far before 1t started to swing around on
It's own axis to the left.
General Collapse Possible.
From the fact that SO many wires gave |
way when the machine was falling it |
looks as though the flying piece Of the |
propeller might have cut one Of the stay
wires, and, throwing more stress on the |
other wires. have caused a general col |
lapse. Or the fact that one Of the wires
was cut may have put the whole of the |
steering gear out Of commission and pre-
vented the plane from answering her
helm.
1t is certain that there was more the
matter than the mere loss of one pro-
peller For the plane could have made a
gliding descent II all the steering ap.
paratus had remained intact.
The question may be cleared up by the
report of the army board today. Or 1t
may remain forever a mystery.
Octave Chanute. the father of aeronau-
ties in America. who came to Washing
ton several days ago to see Orville
Wright's flights. examined the wreckage.
He said that If the Wrights had used but
one propeller instead of two the result
would have been at least as serious.