Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-01
HOW MOISSANT NET HIS DEATH
American Aviator Thrown from His
Car at New Orleans.
HE FALLS ONE HUNDRED FEET
Machine Turns Head Down and
Pitches Operator from Hts
seat--Machine is Badly
Wrecked.

NEW ORLEANS. Dec. 3i.-John q. Mois-
SAINT. daring American aviator confident
Of adding to his many laurels OF the air
the Michelen cup record for 1910, fell TO his
death at g:55 this morning while making a
preliminary flight
While preparing to make a landing on a
special field selected for the Michelen cup
trial twelve miles west of New Orleans
and along the bank Of the Mississippi river
Moissant was thrown from a Bleriot mono
plane and landed on his head thirty-six
feet from where the machine struck the
ground His neck was broken, producing
death within ten seconds, according to the
coroner.
A moment after Moissant struck the
earth, falling in high weeds to the right
OF the field some workmen picked him up.
special train OF flat cars was standing
near the scene Of the accident and the
body was placed aboard and brought to the
city.
Wind Cause of Accident.
Wind. apparently, was the cause Of the
accident. Mossant, guided by the white
flags which lined the course, rounded the
circle twice in an effort to find landing
place. The third time around the wind,
which was blowing about fifteen miles
across the course, drove the machine to-
ward the earth. Moissant in trying to get
back over the grounds swerved suddenly
to the left and then attempted his famous
right circle. considered so dangerous that
there is but one other man who ever at
tempted il.
At this instant the wind caught the ma
chine 1t tipped, pointed its nose directly
at the ground and came down like a flash,
while Moissant was hurled forth and fell
head first
Moissant was in Reene Barriers fifty
horsepower Bleriot monoplane machine
which he had used but two or three times.
At the front OF the machine, almost
directly beneath the engine, was strapped
a thirty -five-gallon brass gasoline tank,
built especially for the Michelin cup trial
Flight from city.
Moissant assembled at the City Park avia-
ton field at 9:35 a. M and flew across
the city and along the banks of the Misss-
sippi river to the special four-mle course.
He appeared to have perfect control Of the
machine and probably no one will ever be
able to explain just what caused the ac-
cident He had inclined his mOnoplane
toward the earth for a landing before 1t
took the fatal plunge. 1t fell like a plum
met and buried the propellers in the soft
earth.
Moisant had a sister, married, living in
San Francisco; two sisters were with him
here, Marlda and Lulu One brother, AL
fred j., was the president of the Interna-
tlonal Aviators association. He was not
present when the accident occurred
Moissant also has two brothers in Salvador
in the banking business
Body VIII BE Taken to Chicago.
No arrangement has been made as to the
disposition of the body. but It probably Will
be shipped to Chicago.
The report that Molssant who had en-
deared himself TO thousands OF New Or
leans citizens. had met a serious accident,
spread rapidly, and when the special bear
ing his body arrived at the Union station,
there was a vast crowd surrounding the
train shed. An ambulance and several sur
seons were in waiting. and as the train
drew in several men leaped to the plat
form and, running to the ambulance. told
the surgeons that Moissant was uncon-
sc'ous, but still alive. The first surgeon,
however, who reached the flatcar saw