The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-06-26
FIRST OF NAVY
AER0NAUTS TO DIE
Ensign Bilingsley Falls Into
Chesapeake Bay
AEROPLANE WAS
$1,000 FEET HIGH
Lieut.. Powers, of Georgia.
Escapes By ClInging
to Uprights.

Georgia, was seriously hurt by the
collapse of their aeroplane while fly
ing over Chesapeake Bay, near An
napolis, this morning.
The two officers started early to-
day from the Naval Academy In a
hydro-aeroplane for Claiborne, Md,
when about five to seven miles from
ANNAPOLIS the hydo-aeroplane, at an
altitude of about 800 feet, capslzed.
When it had dropped about 400 feet
Ensign Billingsley fell or was thrown
out. His body has not been recover
ed.
Lieut. Powers remained in the ma
chine and fell with it into Chesapeake
Bay, where he was rescued and hur-
ried to the Naval Academy Hospital
! Injured, although it is not known
how seriously. Boats from the Naval
Academy are searching for Billings
ley's body and for wreckage Of the
machine to find evidence of the cause
of the accident.
Nine Fatalities to Date
The death of Ensign Billingsley
makes a total of nine fatalities in the
Government service since the army
began experiments with heavier-than-
air machines at Fort Myer in 1908.
His death is the first in the aviation
corpse of the navy.
Billingsley was born in 1887, grad
uated from the Naval Academy IN
1909 and was attached to the avla-
ton corps in that year.
Lieut. Powers was born in 1855,
graduated from the Naval Academy
ir 1906 and assigned to the aviation
: corps last December.
Sudden Gust Hits Airship.
The hydro-aeroplane left Annapolis
in company with a flying boat man
ned by Lieut.. Dortch and Ensign
Chevalier. :
When about four miles off Kent
Island and a quarter of mile above
Chesapeake Bay a sudden gust OF
wind struck the hydro-aeroplane,
throwing Ensign Billingsley against
the steering gear and putting it out
of order. The machine began to
tack rapidly, but despite the precar-
ious situation it is thought Billings
lev would have regained control had
he not lost his balance and fallen
from the craft. Lieut. Powers at
tempted to balance the machine, but
without avail, and he, too fell from
his seat. He was fortunate, how
ever, to catch one of the vertical up
rights, to which he clung desperately
until he was about 800 feet from the
water. He came down a Jew feet
away from the wreck and kept him
self afloat until picked up, although
he was suffering intense pain.
Experimental flights are always
watched by men from the Naval
Academy in motor boats and as soon
as Pewers's hydro-aeroplane went
wrong they pushed from the lee of
Kent Island at top speed, reaching
the machine few moments after it
had hit the water.
Powers Tells the Tale.
At the Naval Academy hospital
Lieut. Powers, almost in state of
nervous collapse, his head wagglng
piteously, told the tragic story of his
fall from the sky.
"Just before the accident he said,
II looked at the altitude dial and it
showed we were running at height
of about 1,625 feet. Just then a gust
of wind seemed to come up from be-
low. The machine lurched violently
and took an uncertain dive forward.
This threw Billingsley across the
steering gear and the lateral rudder
planes went out OF business.
with another forward plunge the
biplane dropped down at express train
speed. 1t all happened in minute.
Billingsley went out Of his seat and
clear of the plane.
His Only Hope.
''When the ship started to fall,
had one hand around the upright, be-
tween the planes, and l locked it
there. I knew that was my only
hope. l was torn loose from the seat,
but held on to the upright. I swung
clear of the planes and the gearing.
The strain on my arms and fingers
was awful, but I clenched my teeth