New-York tribune., 1909-07-03
AIRSHIP Hits TREE
MISH4P FOR
THE WRIGHTS.
Machine Badly Damaged after
Crcling Fort Niger Grounds
T1Centy Times.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

badly smashed. Nobody was hurt but II VIII take
at least week to put the machine in condition
again It was a miserable little accident at that
The engine stopped in midar and Orville Wright
started to coast down. He making beautitul
landing when the right hand end of his lower plane
caught in A small tree he had thought TO avoid.
This poked through the canvas and splintered one
or two Of the ribs that give the plane their fore
and aft curve. The canvas of the lower plane was
torn, but the serious part Of the wreck came
after that. The shock slowed the machine around
so that instead of settling fiat on the runners 1t
scraped sdewise as it hit the ground and the whole
of the lower work of the machine was snapped OH
Both skids and all the connections went SO that
the lower plane rested fiat the earth
This probably will postpone the official trials TIL
well toward the middle of the month The broth
ers spoke after accident of Immediately repair
ing the machine and going on with the flights IL
is Just possible however that they will discard the
present machine and another that promises
better
FLIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT
The accident was preceded by a excellent flight
of twelve minutes. There a fair crowd larger
than had watched the flight the day before
One of the interested spectators was Glen Curtlss
of Hammondsport. y. Y, who has been making a
series of flights at Morris Park. and is entered by
the Aero Club the American representative III
the international aeroplane races to be held IN
Europe Curtiss had spent most OF the morning
talking with the Wrights and had come out 10 see
the flights the fort Just before the machine WIS
nut on the rail for its first trial
The engine seemed to be speeded UP a little more
to-day and the aeropane went OF with rush,
leaving the feet before it reached the END
The propeIers revolving faster but prooa-
bly, we're still short OF four hundred revolutions
rniuu As soon as the machine was In the ar
the aviator started to- climb. and was soon at
height of one hundred feet. He was making larger
circles than on the first days flight. and as ne
passed the starting derrick on each round ne
seemed to be going trine faster than on the pre-
vious day, though still decidedly snort OF the eA
pected forty miles hour.
When he had been in the air twelve minutes ne
came down First he made a circuit OF the held
very low. and then alighted near the starting ran
pretty landing as has ever been seen AT ING
The second flight began at 74e. 1t was intended
to make It a little longer than the first. II was all
simply practice to try out the machine ana ge'
the aviator back into the knack Of flying He was
making bigger circles than ever. and turning at
the south end of the field. passing several times
the spot where he fell with Lieutenant sen
ridge
When he had been little more than eight min
utes in the air he past the starting DERRICK
and 1t was noticed that the engine was missing
fire II sometimes does this. and then PICKS up
again But this time the down grade
sure enough. He running straight down the
field. when It plain to the eye that the pro
peers were slowing down. though the aeropiahe
was too far away to judge By the sound OF the
engine
OrviIe Wright saw that he was losing power
and as he had already begun to make the turn ne
continued over the aeropane shed and coasted down
in an easy descent from height OF about seventy
five feet The tree that caused all the damage was
not much over ten feet high and the aviator said
that he thought he had cleared IT, but instead Oh
that dead limb about an inch IN diameter caush'
the point Of the wing ripping it and breaking one or
two Of the wooden ribs. This threw the machine
around and made II skid on. striking that all
the runners snapped off and the plane settled fat
II is not probable now that there Will be another
flight until July Sth 10th. New canvas Will have
10 be sent for to Dayton, well as other material
to make the repairs. and it is probable that the
present magnetic will be discarded as 1t was doubt
less owing to the fusing OF its platinum points that
the motor stopped
The two flights to-day tho most successful
Orvllle Wright has made since his return COM
retc the government trials. on the first attempt
he few about the field twelve times in eleven min
utns and fifty seconds and the second trial he
had gone around eight and half times when the
aght was terminated by the mishap He had been
in the air a little more than eight minutes. In both
flights MIR Wright went higher and faster than in
the trials Of the two previous days. 1t was esti-
mated that his speed about thirty-seyen miles
an hour on an average. although the machine
probably exceeded forty miles when flying with the
light breeze blowing from the south
oRvILLE wRIGHTs EXPLANATION.
MY motor stopped Just as was over the aero
plane she'd" said Orville Wright after the
chine had been returned TO the shed. when you
bushes and trees you can't see their
height and 1t was due to miscalculation my
part that the wing hit the tree and swung the
machine around causing it to land sidewise the
skids. II It had been for the tree 1 would
have landed safely. 1t too bad the accident
happened. because the machine going fine to-
day making better speed than yesterday
and more than the machine that used last year
/ should judge the machine was going forty
miles an hour at certain times"
a wind OF a velocity of about three miles an
hour blowing when Wright making his
flights causing the machine travel six miles
faster the stretch along the eastern border Il
the field than along the western border. Like last
year Orville Is making circular flights with the
left side of the machine the inside OF the field
Glenn Curtss estimated the average speed at about
thirty-seven miles an hour, with a maximum speed
of forty miles when travelling with the
wind.
That was beautiful glide" said Mr. Curtiss
after the aeroplane had come to earth IT can see
how hitting the tree caused the machine to swing
around as we often have similar landings at Ham
mondsport II we land in field OF barley or oats
and wing touches first. the aeroplane swerves
around with great force"
The aversion the Wrights have To pictures
publication in the newspapers illustrated by
incident which occurred just after the machine
had been returned to the shed. A photographer
who represented the War Department but who
was unknown to the Wrights, snapped a picture OF
the damaged machine.
Here. your exclaimed Wilbur excitedly hurI-
ing stick at the photographer, who had violated
the request that photographs be made.
I'm not taking pictures for publication" hastily
explained the photographer. These for the
War Department"
'Oh. beg your pardon" apologized Mr.. Wright
go ahead and take all the pictures you like"
Charlie" Taft was on hand with his camera
again to-day and was enthusiastic the flights
-s
OPPOSE TAX ON CORPORATIONS.