The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-12
B|PLANE TIPS,
CARRYING TWO
TO THEIR DEATH
Aviator WEIGH and Lieutenant
Hazelhurst, u. S. A., In
stantly Killed in Acct
dent During Test.
NECKS OF BOTH ARE
BROKEN IN THE FALL
Machine Reaches Height of
Only Hundred Feet When
1t Comes Crashing
to Earth.
By International News Service.

| NA{ Welch OF Brunswick. Ge-, rep
| wv resenting the Wright Blplane
w company. and Lieutenant L. W.
| Hazelhurst OF the Seventeenth
| Infantry, were dashed TO death at 6:13
| tonight when the bIplane in which they
| were making an ascension crashed TO the
| earth from an elevation OF about 100
| feet
| The aviator and his passenger had been
| in the air bat three minutes when the
| accident occurred. He and HszsIhurst
were just starting out on a climbing con-
| test On the first round of the field
they had reached an altitude Of about 100
feet. Suddenly the machine dipped 10
| one side and came to the ground with
a crash, with both men underneath
Death was instantaneous. When picked
up II was found that the necks OF both
men had been broken.
| A half dozen army officers and many
others were present. Captain De Forest
Chandler Of the United States signal
corps, convened body OF officers con-
sisting OF Captain Hennessey Captain
Blake, Lieutenants Graham, kirkland and
Milling. TO report the cause Of the ac-
| cident
The bodies of Hazelhurst and Weich
were taken to the Walter Reid hospi-
| tai
In New Machine.
| The machine that Welch flew today
| was an entirely new development In the
Wright type which they hoped to make
the most perfect In the world. In ap-
pearance the craft was not unlike other
Wright craft, but its structural details
had been altered In such way that Il
was expected to carry more weight and
hy more swiftly for It's size than any
craft ever built. In order 10 fulhu the
army requirements. the machine
obliged 10 carry load Of 500 pounds
in excess of fuel and the operator for at
least four hours continuously.
Early this afternoon both Welch and
Lieutenant Hazelhurst made flights III
the machine successfully. There was
apparently nothing wrong with the
craft. But in common with all the men
who use the army field here. they COM
plaiped OF the treacherous air hole near
the clump of trees Immediately opposite
the army hangar.
Air Is Treacherous.
Shortly after 6 o'clock Welch and Ha-
tention of making short experimental
fight. They had just started when the
accident occurred. Rising. they attained
a height OF 100 feet when they started
to turn near the dreaded corner On
the turn they naturally began TO sink.
AS they came to within forty feet OF the
ground the watching officers were hor-
rified TO see the craft pitch down like
dead weight The 0rOn occurred sid
denly and unexpectedly that IL looked
as II tho machine collapsed In midair.
Airship Is Demolished.
Before the rending sound OF wood and
metal occurred the officers, led by Cap
tain De Forrest Chandler. started on
run to the scene. They found the Graf.
almost entirely demolished and the two
inanimate forms buried in the debris.
The avlators were dead when the SOL
diers reached them.
Welch originally lived in Washington.
although he recently made his home in
Dayton. He had been in the employ or
the WriShts for three years With the
exception OF Walter Brooklns. who has
not been In the Wrigbts' employ for
more than year, he was the only sur
vivor of the original group OF remarka-
BILE flyers NJ one time he held the Amer
lean endurance record He leaves
Young widow and infant child. lie was
about 30 years OF age.
Lieutenant Hazelhurst was born In
Georgia July ~. 1885, and was appointed
TO the military academy from Mississippi
June Is. 1904 lie was commissioned
second lieutenant Seventeenth infantry
II. IaOS.