The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-15
DAREDEVIL AIRMAN
PLUNGED TO DEATH
Lincoln Beachey, One of Worlds Best
Known Performers in the Air,
Killed By Fall Into San
Francisco Bay.

coin Beaehey, the aviator, was killed
while making an exhibition fight at the
Panama Pacific exposition yesterday. At
an altitude of about 5000 feet, Beachey
began a sharp descent The wings of the
aeroplane collapsed and the machine
plunged into San Francisco bay
Beachey was completing his second
fight OF the day when the accident oc-
Cured in full view of thousands of spec
tators. Having previously electrified the.
crowd with series of aerial s9mersauts,
the airman sought to add another thrill
by making one oil the sensational per-
pendicular drops which usually featured
his flight.
The fatal fall was attributed to the
fact that Beachey entrusted his life yes
terday for the first time in several years
to monoplane. An exceptionally large
crowd had been attracted to the fair
grounds to see whether he would at
tempt The same breath taking feats in
the new machine that he had performed
in his biplane.
On the first fight all went well and
the ayiator's familiar tricks we're in
dulged in with the exception Of the per-
pendicular fall.
1t proved too much Of a strain for the
frame of the monoplane
The machine was at an altitude of
about 5000 feet when Beachey shut
off his power. For several thousand
feet it dropped head on for the earth
and then the aviator grasped his con-
troll levers to AUST the planes for the |
graceful descent which had character |
lied his previous fights.
At that point the wings crumpled and |
the aeroplane turning over and over in |
its fall plunged into san Francisco bay,
narrowly missing a vessel lying at the
government transport docks.
Thousands Of spectators rushed to the |
nearby water front, bnt with the excep-
tion OF few splntered fragments Of
the aeroplane floating on the surface Of
the water, no sign OF the wrecked ma
chine could be seen.
Launches were put out Immediately,
equipped with graphing hooks. and a
boats crew from the battleship Oregon,
which was anchored short distance
away, joined in an attempt TO recover
the body of the aviator that was
strapped to the machine under forty
feet OF water.
The body was recovered shortly after
five o'clock
Lincoln Reachey was regarded as the
most skillful and daring Of American
lyiators He earned this reputation long
before the French flyers headed by Pc.
goud began to glide through the air Z
upside down, Beachey was IN retire ,
ment when these feats were heralded ,
md was drawn back into the game by I
ais desire to exceed the remarkable hy- .
ng OF the Frenehuen. G
With an aeroplane Of small wing sur ]
ace he few upside down. made spirals {
while head downward and looped the !
oop. {
Beachey was born in San Francisco in
1887 and made his first fight
n 1905 at Oakland, Cal, plotting
lirigible balloon. In 1906 he eircled the
a pitol at Washington He scared over ,
lew York City in July, 1907. His motor =
allied and the wind whirled the drigiblc
cross the river, wrecking il.
His first heavier than air machine. Ii
was wrecked at st. Paul in $
so He made a successful flight in G
% Angeles. but then wrecked another d
yer
May 8 1911. he was the first man 10 n
irclc the capitol in Washington in an y
eroplane. lie tim startled the world y
v nying over Niagara Falls. Later he g
Ior the first inter-citv aeroplanc race J.
q America. fying from New York to >
-
Early ia 1913 Bcachev announced that \,
: had made his last fight. asserting q
bat be felt partly responsible for the
caths Of nine aaiators who had tried n
, emulate him When the deeds Of the y
airing Frcnchmen were chronicled he ~ y,
irned to Aying In October. 1913. az VI
\ y. his machine swept ~
,veral spectators from roof, killing v
be- iu
Hillary Beachey q brother Of the avia. IN
pr. witnessed the tragedy. He was
landing on the deck Of the United n
tates transport Crook. watching the ct
.rht He said be heard a cracking
uud like the breaking Of ships mast.
e cried out as the mouoplane began 10
unge toward the hav. u fell only = Al
-. go F.z.ws a.