The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-06-21
Ensign William D. Billingsley
Hurled From Hydro-aero-
plane While Flying Over
Chesapeake Bay.
j. A. TOWERS CLINGS
TO DISABLED MACHINE
Tells Story of Accident High
in the Air After Being Ia.
ken From the Water by
Crew of Motorboat.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, June 2o.-The
navy added its first victim to the
death roll OF the air today, when En- >.
sign William D. Billingsley was
hurled from disabled biplane 1000
feet in the air and fell into the
depths of Chesapeake bay. Lieuten-
ant John A. Towers, chief of the
navy aviators, clung to the hurtling
wreck that followed his comrade s
course from sky to water and escaped
death almost miraeulously.
Ensign Billingsley, in biplane that
had been converted into hydro-aero-
plane by the addition of pontoons,
with Lieutenant Towers. as a passen
ger, left the aviation grounds at the
naval academy here this morning TO
fly to Claiborne, eighteen miles across
the bay. About ten miles down the
bag gust Of wind struck the fragile
aeroplane. Ensign Billingsley was
luJOWu ln0
gear. which was disabled. THE from.
planes of the craft fell and it dropped
| like dead bird for the blue expansc
of water 1900 feet below As IL
dropped. the pilot was catapulted out,
his body, turning in the air, out
speeding the disabled machine toward
the water.
Body Sinks in Bay.
Deep into the bay the body sank,
and up to late hour tonight it had
not been recovered. All available .
boats in the neigbborhood secured the
waters about the spot where the &C.
cident occurred, seeking the body.
When the aeroplane started on Its
dive for the bay, Lieutenant Towers
clung desperately to one Of the struts
between the planes. Although at
times his body swung clear of the
rapidly falling airship, he maintained
his hold with band and arm almost
wrenched apart. After falling about
900 feet the biplane turned complets
somersault and for moment the
force Of the fall was broken. Striking
the bay, it carried Lieutenant Towers
beneath the water, but he rose to
the surface almost Immediately.
The aviator, suffering excrutiating
agony, feared that be would lose con.
sciousness before he could be rescued,
and, tearing loose the lashings of ono
of the planes, he bound himself fast TO
a pontoon. Within a few minutes,
however, he was taken off by B. L.
Bronson and s. Kellar, who were
watching the aeroplane's movements
from motorboat kept on the bay By
the navy aviators for use in just such
accidents.
Survivor Tells Story.
At the naval academy hospital Lieu
tenant Towers, almost in state Of
nervous collapse, his entire body
trembling and his head wagging pit.
eously, told the tragic story of his fall
from the sky.
"Just before the accident" he said,
s'I looked at the altitude dial and 1t
showed that We were running at
height OF about 1895 feet. Just then
a gust of wind seemed to come up from
below 1t struck the aeroplane under
meath the rear planes and the machine
lurched violently and took an uncer-
tain dive forward. This threw Bill.
Kingsley across the steering gear. and
the lateral rudder planes went out of
business. With another forward plunge
the biplane dropped down at express
speed 1t all happened In a minute.
Billiugsley went out of his seat and
clear OF the planes. When the ship
started to fall had one hand around
the upright, between the planes, and /
locked it there. I knew that was my
only hope. I was torn loose from the
seat but held on to the upright
swung clear of the planes and the
gearing, The strain on my arms and
fingers was awful. but j clenched my
teeth and held on. l tried TO kick the
steering gear back into working order,
but could not make il go. looked
down and saw Billingsley turning over
and over in the air.
n Loss