The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-31
AVA TOR FALLS
into SEA WITH
GOAL IN SIGHT
McCurdy Forced to De-
scendW thin TenMiles
of Havana.
BREAK IN ENGINE,
CAUSES FAILURE.
Although Journey in Air Is In
complete, He Smashes All
Records for Over-the-W Water
Flights, Covering About
SO Miles-Hopes to
Try Again.

Havana, January 3o.--J. A D. Me
Curdy, a Canadian by bir.h. but now
affiliated with American aviators. set
a new record to-day in over the water
lights, covering a distance ut close
to 100 miles from Key West ITO with s.
in ten miles OF Havana, when on ac-
county OF slight accident. he was
compelled to drop into the sea There
he remained. his biplane tioated by
pontoons, until the lifcboat Of the
torpedo boat destroyer Terry picked
him up.
With victory within his grasp, his
goal within plain view, an accident
trivial in itself for which no provision
was possible, robbed McCur,iy or HE
almost won title Of conquerer of the
| Florida straits With MORO Castls n
| scarce n dozen miles away. his aero
plane rushing at the rate Of fifty miles
an hour at an altitude Of ] 900 feet, a
| break In small part Of tha engine. u
reptured crank case permitting the
escape of all the lubricating oi. neces-sH
STATED McCurdy's mmediat. descent
havana was then in plain view, and
| Camp Columbia. where The landing
was TO be made. was only e. short dis
| lance beyond.
at the time OF the descent the aero
| plane was about equidistant from the
| Paulding and Terry, the Leading ships
| which were about ten miles apart The
llntrepld aviaJor when the sound OF
the engine told him Something was
wrong, jauntiy shut off tho power
| lic descended rapidly swinging stead
! lly to the water and aIigh,ing as
gracefully as n gull with outspread
| wings. The pontoons proven abunu- AZ
tantly buoyant. McCurdy not even Wet
! ting his feet ssj'. b
! Machine Damaged.
| The fall WAS seen BY all The vcsselA
! OF the squadron. and they head ed in Y
| the direction of the aeroplanc ut top
most speed. The Pauldlng and the Ter
/ rs arriving almost a; the same mo-
! ment Some difficulty was expert
cnced in ,m1noeuvring the destroyers
| alongside the air craft. but the aviator
| sitting there apparently in content
| nent. assured the officers that he was
nerfectlv safe, and that there was no
Necessity for haste The Terry's life
boat took him off ana finally he was
taken aboard the Paulding. but the
| efforts TO hoist the machine on the
launching platform failed. Graphing
| irons We're u5ed and the aeroplane vas
/ hauled to the deck in a badly dam
Jagged condition..
While this work was going on. the
| Cuban flagship Hatilri arrived ..on,
! Havana carrying President Gomez AMI
party OF friends She ran along
| side the Pallding. and the Presiden1
| shouted his concentrations on the
/ pluck OF the aviator and regret for his
ill fortune. After an hours delay tho
! squadron started for Havana. entering
! the harbor . few minutes after /,
! o'clock. amid the cheers Of many thou
sands who continued to throng tho sea
i wall long after the news OF the acct -5
| dent was known.
! McCurdy, landing from the Pa;lldins,f
| proceeded without change o. clothing
] a hn nd c 4.t VI al, SnE
| where he gave n magnificent exhibition
1of his skill. rising to an altitude ~
/ 1900 feet and performing n variety
| of maneouvr2s that We're startling "a
the Cubans.
| The start grom Key Wcst was made
| atI:S2 o'clock. centra! time. which WAS
/ sos Havana time, and aftev making
| two circles tie aviator squared away
| on his course Conditions were Ideal
! a faint wind, A c!oulcss. azure sky
and nnripplcd sapphire seas.
In spcakin,; % the beauty of the
scene, McCurdv declared this evening
| that lie had never before experienced
! 50 wonderful . sensation as when he
rose a thousand feet and started or tho
/ trip. Continuing. he said:
Tine accident only Increased my
earnest desire TO effect the conquest
ofthe Florida straits and ! have tha
/ fullest confidence that can do It.
! make another attempt at the flight,
/ but under SUCH conditions as prevailed
to-day ! am SIRE of success
Two Hours In Air.
| McCurdy WAS exactly two hours in
! the air, covering an estimated distance
/ Of about nisety-six miles Resides
| breaking the over-sel record, this Is
! the first instance OF an aeroplanc Night
entirely out or sight OF land.
/ Dsapp .ment was Keen n Havana
/ ov2r the avators mishap. ca the iir.
/, ing OF three cannon 1T cabanas. sig.
I, Mailing the start, all business WAS sag
! pended 'rhc whole popnlation .ronged
| the Masecon driveway from Punta to-
/ san Lazaro Al the high roofs and the "a
| heights OF MORO and Va hanas vera
/ crowded, Al 10 oclock u became
! known that McCnrdy Was drawing
1 near. but still lie could not he seen,
/ The excitement was inteT<e Then.
! SAINT. a long, oninous delay.
I \ rumor started that Mccurdy hndA.
/ been Killed but nothing was known in
Havana until receipt Of the .Nssoeintsd
/ l'rcss dispatca giving an accom-. ot
/ the accident,
! McCurdy Will remain here through
aut the week. and viii give exhibitions
! 1T Camp Columbia. 'Thf55 acsttoyara3 E
! NIL return TO- morro& vs.
I ON nj Inst.
/ t>ey SY4sti Ella, iAn8ary t:r--Sjs
days oe anxie'y AMI waiting ~, a III.
| vorable turn IN weather cord .tipn4 end : 30