New-York tribune., 1911-01-31
M'CURDY SETS RECORD
FOR OVERSEE FLIGHTS
| ack of Oil Causes Descent to
Sea Near the Coast
OF Cuba.
PICKED UP BY DESTROYER
The Terrys Boat Takes Aero
naut from ocean-Aeroplane
Damaged-Description
of Voyage.

Havana Jan Sol. A \. N1cCurdy. \
canadian BY birth. but now affiliated with
american aeronsuts set new record to-
sav in over the water flights. covering a
A,e-snce Of nearly hundred miles. from
.,sv West 20 within ten miles Of Havana
,sen. owing 20 a slight accident. he was
compelled 10 drop into the sea There he
-.r,sined. his biplane foated by pontoons.
until the lifeboat OF tho destroyer Terry
p1ked him up
With victory within his grasp. his goal
n plain view. an accident. trivial in itself
tor which no provision was possible, robbed
NcCurdy OF his almost won title Of con-
s,,e-er through the air of the Florida strait.
wYth Moro Castle scarce a dozen miles
away. his aeroplans rushing at the rate OF
CIV miles an hour at an altitude of one
thousand feet, a break IN a small part Of
.ha ergine. a ruptured crank case. permit
ting the escape OF all the lubricating oil.
forced NcCurdy's immediate descent. Ia
yana was then in plain view. and Camp
Columbia. where the landing was 10 be
-alde. was only short distance beyond.
Al the time Of the descent the aeroplane
uss about equidistant from the Paulding
-n6 tho Terry. thu leading chips. which
vere about ten miles apart The aeronaut,
when rhe sound OF the engine told him
something was wrong instantly shut of
tho power. He descended rapidly, swing
irg steadily 70 the water and alighting as
gracefully as q gull with outspread wings.
IRE pontoons proved abundantlv buoyant
NcCurdy not even wetting mis- feet.
Ms-ships Rush TO Aid Aeronaut.
The fall was seen by all the vessels OF
the s1lad-on. and they headed in the di-
-ection OF the aeroplane at topmost speed,
the Psuldins and tho Terry arriving al
mos, ar the same moment Some difficulty
vss experienced in getting the destroyers
alongside the air craft. but the aeronaut.
sitting apparently in contentment. assured
.he orioers that he was perfectly safe and
that there was no necessity for haste. The
Terry lifeboat took him of, and finally
he was taken aboard the Paulding. but the
efforts 10 hoist tho machine on the launch
inS platform failed. Graphing irons were
used. and the aeroplane was hauled TO the
Geek in badly damaged condition.
While this work was going on the Cuban
1ag=t.p Hatuey arrived from Havana.
carving President Gomez and a party OF
friends she ran alongside the Paulding,
snl the President shouted his congratula-
lions on the pluck OF tho aeronaut and re-
Erer for his III fortune. After an hours
DELAY the squadron started for Havana
sr-ering the harnor few minutes after l
o'clock. amid the cheers Of many thousands
v -o continued 70 throng the sea wall Ions
ff-er the news Of the acciden. was known
NJ NcCurdy. after landing from the
Ts.rdinr. proceeded without change OF
clothing 20 tho drill grounds az Camp Co
'lubia. where he gave 4 ma gnifcent eH-
r.n.tion ~ his skill. rising 70 Al altitude
o. 100 feet and performing manoeuvres
---.-h were startling 20 the Cubans.
Excellent Weather Conditions.
TIE start from key West was made at
- O clock central time, which was Sd5
+Isvana. time and after making rwo cir
lies the aeronaut started on MS course
he conditions were ideal 2 faint wind, a
oioudIess azure sky and unrippled sapphire
seas. OF The beauty Of the scene Mr.. Nc
C'rrdv SAID this evening.
Never have 7 experienced 80 wonderful
sensation as when 1 rosa a thousand feet
and took the course. Ahead Of me was a