The Denison review., 1915-03-17
LINCOLN BEACHEY
MEETS DEATH
Most Daring American Aviator Meets
Death in San francisco Bay Last
Sunday Afternoon.
FELL A DISTANCE OF 5000 FEET
Accident Attributed to Fact That the
Aviator lntrusted His Life to
New Monopiane.

l
tacular career of Lincoln Beachey, one
of the most daring of American ayi-
ators, was ended today, when he fell
to his death at the Panama Pacific ex-
position in sight OF thousands of spec.
| tatOrs.
Beachey was completing his second
flight of the day when the accident oc.
CURED. Having previously electrified
the crowd with series OF aerial SOM
ersaults, the airman sought to add an
additional thrill by making one of the
sensational perpendicular drops which
usually feature his flights.
The fatal fall was attributed to the
| fact that Beachey intrusted his life to.
day for the first time to new mono
plane. An exceptionally large crowd
had been attracted to the fair grounds
to see whether he would attempt the
same breath taking stunts In the new
machine that he had performed In his
trim little biplane.
Saves Thriller for the Last.
On the first flight all went well and
the aviator's familiar tricks were in
dulged in with the exception Of the
perpendicular drop. This Beachey had
saved for the climax. It proved too
much Of strain for the frame of the
monoplane.
The machine was at an altitude Of
about 5000 feet when Beachey shut
off his power For a thousand feet 1t
dropped head on for the earth and
then the aviator grasped his control
levers to adjust the planes for the
graceful descent which had character.
ized his previous flights.
At that point the wings crumpled
like a collapsed umbrella and the
aeroplane. turning over aud over In
its fall, plunged into San Francisco
bay. narrowly missing a? yessel lying
at the government transport docks.
Crowds Rush 10 Water Front =
Thousands, Of fsspectatovs, rushed to
the nearby water front, but with the
exception OF i few splintered rag
merlts Of the aeroplane foating OH
the surface OF, the bay. no sign OF the
wrecked machine could be seen.
Launches put out immediately.
equipped with graphing hooks and
boats crew from the battleship Ore.
gon, which was anchored in the stream
q short distance away, Joined In an
attempt TO recover the body Of the
aviator, who was strapped to his ma
chine under forty feet Of water.
The body was recovered shortly af-
ter s o'clock, about two hours after
the accident. t
Divers from the Oregon, searching
the shallow inshore waters Of the bay,
found the crushed form Of the airman
entangled in the twisted rods and torn
canvas of the machine. With axes
the divers freed the body from the
wreckage and brought ID to the sur
face.
Brother Witnesses Fail.
Hillary. brother OF the aviator,
witnessed the tragedy. He was stand
transport Crook watching the flight.
He said he heard q cracking sound
like the breaking of a ships mast. He
cried out as the monoplane began to
plunge toward the bay. 1t fell only q
few feet away from the transport.
That Beachey was still alive when
he struck the water and had sustained
no major injury as result OF the fall
except a broken leg, was the opinion
expressed by DR.. David e. Stafford.
autopsy surgeon. who examined the,
body at the mordne tonight. .a
The face. said Or. Stafford. was dis
colored from choking and strangling,
indicating that death was due to
drowning.
Cuts OH the aviator's hands were tax
en- to indicate that he had made des-
peratc efforts to release himself from
the mesh OF twisted wires and rods in
which he was entangled.
When the machine fell Beachey was
protected by the engine propeller and
hood of the monoplane, which struck
the water first. 1t was pointed out
that If Beachey could have disengaged
himself he probably would have man
aged to keep afloat long enough to be
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