Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-31
] B. MO|SANT
IS KILLED.
Was Trying Out His BIeriot Mono
plane Near New
Orleans.
IT TURNED HEAD DOWNWARD
1T TURNED HEAD DOWNWARD
He Pitched Clean Over, Fell Hun
dred Feet, Landing on
His Head.
Was Born in Chicago. tS7O-Achicvcd
Fame rs Avintor by Flying Across
English Channel With Passenger.


Now Orleans Dec. 31.--John b. Moi
cant, daring American aviator, conf
dent of adding to his many laurcls of
the air tho Michelin cup record for 1917
fell to his death at 9:55 this morning
while making n preliminary fight.
While preparing to make a landing
on a special field selected for the Mich
elm cup trial, IL miles west OF New
Orleans, along the bank of the Alissis-
sippi river, Molsant was thrown from
o. Bleriot monoplanc and landed OH his
head Sc feet from where the machine
struck tho ground. His neck was
broken, producing death within 10 sec
onds, according to the coroner. a mo-
mcnt after Moisant struck. falling in
high weeds to the right of the field,
some workmen picked him up. spec
ial train of fiat cars was standing near
the scene Of the accident and the body
was placed aboard and brought to this
city. 5j
Wind apparently was the cause of the
accident. Moislnt, guided by the Whito
flags which lined the course, rounded
tile circle twice in an effort to find
landing place. The third time around,
the wind, which was blowing about 10
miles across the course. drove the ma
chine toward the earth. Moisnnt, in
trying to get back over the grounds,
swcrved suddenly at the left. then at
tempted his famous right circle. con-
sdered so dangerous that, 1t is said,
but one other man ever attempted 1t.
At this instant the wind caught the
machine. 1t tipped, pointed Its nose
directly at the ground and came down
like q flash, while Moisant was hurled
forth and fell head first.
Moisant had a married sister, living
in San Francisco. Two sisters We're
with him here. Marlda and Lulu. One
brother, Alfred j.. was the president
of the International Aviators associa-
ton. He was not present when the ac-
cident occurred. Moisant also has two
brothers in Salvador interested in the
banking business.
No arrangement has been made as
to the disposition of the body. but it
probably will be shipped to Chicago.
Moisant was in Rene Barriers 90
horsepower Blcriot monoplane. ma
chine which he had used but two or
three times. AT the front Of the ma
chine, almost directly beneath the en-
Einc. was strapped n 35-gallon brass
gasoline tank. built especially for the
Michelin cup trial.
Moisant assembled at the City park
aviation field at 9:35 am, and flew
across the city and along the banks of
the Mississippi river to the special
four-mile course He appeared to have
perfect control Of the machine and
probably no one will ever be able to
explain just what caused tho accident.
He had inclined his monoplanc to-
ward the earth for landing before it
took the fatal plunge: 1t fell like a
plummct and buried the propellers in
the soft earth.
He landed In Deal and from then on
had n series OF accidents that con-
tinued for three weeks. Undauntcd he
chung to his purpose to reach London
through the air and while the whole
world applaudcd the plucky Chit |
cagoan, he pressed forward and finally. |
on Sept. 6, noatcd down at the Crystal ]
palace in the British capital. y
arrived.
Moisnnt arrived in New York from
Europe on Oct. s. last and was one
OF the most interesting figures in the
aviation meet at Belmont park. He |
took second place in the international
aviation race whom Grahamc-White |
captured the trophy which Glenn IT, |
Curtiss had brought to this country
from Franco the year before |
.Grahamc-White went around the
statue of Liberty in 50 minutes, 21.30 |
Az. seconds under Grahamc-White's |
record. His time was "a minutes, ass
seconds.
Noisant had n narrow escape from |
death last Tuesday in New Orleans.
After being blown five miles from his |
course by IL 40 mile wind he glided
down from an altitude of nearly
5000 feet and barely escaped
rough landing in clump of trees.
THIRTY FOURTH VICTIM.
Moisant was the thirty fourth man
to lose his life in the development of
aviation. OF this number 90 have been
killed the present year: four were killed
IN 1909, and one-Lieut. Thomas e. Self
ridge. u. S. Ain 1908.
The death roll includes George Cha
vcZ, the Peruvian, who flew over the
Alps only To be fatally injured in land
Ing; Ralph Johnstone of Kansas city,
who had just before broken tho worlds
altitude record Charles l. Rolls, the
popular English sportsman; Leon De
LaGranee, the Frcnchman, and Cecil
trace of New York, who. after dying
rom Dover to Calais, was lost, probably
N the North sea- on his return trip.