The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-09-13
FOWLER HURT; ;;FLIERA WRECK
COAST TO COAST AVIATION ~
HOSPITAL Ar alta, ca.
Vuddcr Goes Wrong and Ma chine Hits One
Tree as Driver Tries to Miss Another
Fails Eifty Feet ThrouEh Branches
says Hell Try Again for New NOrk.

says He'll Try Agaln for New York
ArBrRS, Cal. Sept =? Robert G.
Fowler. who started yesterday to ay
across the continent, lies in little hos
pital AZ Alta. in the Sierras. with his back
sprained and suffering from many bruises
His neroplanc lies u tangled mass of
wreckage at the base of big pine tree
that stands on the edge Of a rocky gorge
through which the Southern Pacific winds
It's way among tho mountains
Re cause of an accident to the steering
, gear Of the machine this morning soon
after his start Fowler lost control of the
plane. and while trying to land collidcd
with the tree His machine fell through
! the branches and was badly damaged.
: The aviator escaped with minor injuries,
and says hc will be able 10 resume his
! fight within two or three days He will
try to complete the journey.
Fowler spent the early hours of this
! morning overhauing his aeroplane and
at a37 gave the signal for the release Of
the machine. He rose gracefully and
after making a circle or two To- gain ele
vatlon turned north and east along the
line of the Southern Pacific At an eleva-
ton of n little more than five hundred
| feet he covered the first eleven miles in
eleven minutes. He passed over Dutch
Flat going AT high speed and apparently
was having little trouble with the noun
tain air currents. When almost over the
town Of Alta. about forty miles from this
city. his aeroplane was seen suddenly
! u swerve from its course and then II
began 10 circle over the hilltops.
L . L -
down, but the country IL rough and rocky
and as he was following the gorge trav-
versed 10y the railroad landing places
were hard to find He reduced the speed
of his aeroplane and came down to a
height of about 100 feet with the machin,
careening in dangerous fashion as he
tried to control its movements.
| Fowler finally selected the only farl,
smooth place in sight and made an at.
tempt To land his machine along a narrow
ledge high up on the shoulder OF ridge
He was then about seventy-tve feet from
the earth. Directly in front of him wer.
two big pine trees. To make a successful
landing IL was necessary to take his dam
!. aged machine between these two trees
/, although the space between them wa,
only a little wider than the spread of hi,
planes Fowler nerved himself and drov,
his airshir for the narrow opening
One of the planes caught in the top ot
one tree and swung the aeroplane hall
around against the other. There was q
cracking of wood and tearing of cloth a.
the machine broke against the trees anC
, dropped fifty feet to the ground. striking
stern first. The rear of the aeroplane wa.
badly smashed, but the descent was com
, parativey slow owing 10 the branches o
the trees and Fowler probably owes his
| life to this fact.
II As the machine tipped backward Fowler
was thrown with considerable force
, against the motor and tangled in the
; wreckage when it finally struck the
, ground. His back was badly strained
= and he was somewhat bruised He said
when assistance arrived few minutes
, later: No skin is broken and will finish
, the trip all right"
Previous 10 the accident Fowler was
1 making such good headway that he felt
, sure Of covering much ground during the
, day. Contrary 10 expectations he had
, little trouble with air currents in the
/ mountains, although he did strike some
variable winds. Fortunately they were
, light.
aviator had az companions a special train
and many automobilists which left Auburn
with him. The aeroplane soon dist anced
all OF these. however, as it attained a
speed of better than a mile "A minute
during the early part Of the trip. The
wrecked aeroplane is now about i5S miles
from IFS starting point
In an interview tonight Fowler said
Il don't know the exact cause Of the
acCident 10 the machine. | made good
start and was going fine with everyt hing
. in my favor when suddenly | noticed
that something was wrong with the Yer,
tcal rudder. ] was al an elevation O!
about 400 feet when ! discovered that
was in difficulty.
Il gradually brought the machine to O
lower level 10y swinging in wide circles
saw a spot where thought could max,
Il landing. although the country waa Sc
rough that knew would have trouble
In trying 20 escape one tree when | hac
descended TO about fifty-six feet struck
another close by and dropped to tn.
ground. Better luck next time. viii
: make New York yet"