The New York herald., 1921-05-09
AIR PUFFS SMASH
BIPLANE IN PIECES
AS 10000 WATCH
Mayor Abbey Climbs Out OF
Wreck With Only Few
Minor Injuries.
WIFE SEES COLLAPSE
Crowd Thrilled as an SE-5's
Nose and Wing Hit Earth
and 1t Is Destroyed.
DAY OF BIG SKY STUNTS
Fine Display Of Flying and
Exhibition Of Varied Equip
ment at Mitchell Field.
Jay OF BIG SKY STUNTS

The ultimate in narrow escapes from
death was demonstrated to a crowd Of
10000 persons at Mitchell Field,
Mineola, yesterday when Major Henry
Abbey, Jr., commandant Of the field
crashed to earth while attempting a
landing and survived uninjured, al
though his plane was smashed into ar
unrecognizable wreck.
The wreck was the biggest thrill of
an afternoon in which everything
there is of speed and daring in flying,
from parachute jumping to aerobatics
was unfolded by officers and men OF
the field.
The Major after vainly chasing
lieut.. John 4. Roullet in a faster plane
over a forty-fiv mile course, glided
down over the hangers and close above
the crowd. among which was his wife
! in an automobile. He had almost
landed his little one seated SE-5 BIZ
plane when puff of wind got under
one wing. The plane sideslipped and
the Major. seeing that his machine
was likely to roll over, opened the
throttle wide.
Instantly the ship shot ahead. One
wing was still perilously near the earth
and the other high in the air. For a
split second the plane climbed upward,
but the inclination was too great. and
another puff caused a slip downward.
The wing hooked into the turf. The
nose of the plane, which was travelling
at rs or so miles an hour. crashed into
the ground. The plane cartwheeled over
the field and the motor tore itself loose.
The machine bounded back onto its
wheels again. totally smashed. An am
bulance and chemical engine started for
the wreck. dimly seen amid clouds Of
smoke and dust. Mrs. Abbey, a hun
dred yards away, sat silent, watching.
Cheers for the Aviator.
Then out of the mass Of splinteeSd
| wood Major Abbey climbed, uninjurel
There was a wild yell from the pilots
and mechanics and general rush for
the plane. The Wright motor. although
out of the plane. thundered on, for some
how it's wiring had survived the crash.
The commandant switched 1t off. bor-
rowed cigarette. and FASTENED to his
wife to assure her ne was intact.
well. guess I contributed something
to this show" he remarked, cheerfuly.
On taking an inventory he found he
had barSed the skin on two knuclSles.
| dug a small hole in his knee, ruined a
new pair of breeches and swallowed a
| little motor oil.
None of the other pilots or the Major
could explain how It happened he was
not killed or badly crushed.
"You never can tell in a crash" said
one flier. The worst looking crackups
are sometimes the least serious. and then
| again an easy little smash will kill a
| man"
Major Abbey recently landed another
| SE-5 after one Of the landing wheels
had dropped off and was unscathed. The
plane turned completely over In a
ground loop but did not smash him.
He has reputation as a skilful and
daring stunt pilot.
| The air service lives in the present,
| and before the dust had subsidized about
| the wreck the shattered plane was
| dragged away and the programme was
| on again. And although the flfers took
many a chance there was no other accl-
| dent.
The day was perfect except for occa-
sional puffs of wind, such as played
havoc with Major Abbey. and the pilots
cut loose everything they had in stock
by way of celebrating the return of good
| flying weather after a dull winter. and
to make certain that the crowd would get
II fr
the athletic and welfare fund of the field
Nobody asked for money back at the
gate. but several inquired for remedies
for sun burn on the roof OF the mouth.
Good Aeronnutical Display.
During the morning there was a dis
play OF aeronautic machines and equip
ment and in the afternoon the pilots and
men got busy and put all their apparatus
into action--much action.
Capt Harry Smith started the after
moons events by leading flight of five
planes In v formation in \ roaring dash
| around Mineola, Garden City and West
bury. On the wings OF the V were
IIeuts. Victor c. Beau, Jr., Arthur II.
SImonln, Howard ". Norris and Eugene
III. Barlxsdale. The big De Haviland
planes swept through various manpu-
\ vres as II the five ships were flown by
a single man. They roared low enough
over the crowd to make the more
thoughtful reflect what would happen II
these planes were equipped with their
war quota Of machine guns and bombs
The next event was completely over
the heads of the thousands around the
field--so far above their heads that no
one saw 1t happen. While Capt. Smith
and his aerial cavalcade had been
charging around through the lower at
mospherc another De Haviland, with
Lieut. Fonda Johnson at the controls
and Sergeant Jean Riviere In the gum
ner's cockpit. had been making altitude.
At 12,200 feet. height at which only
the keenest-eyed could see the plane.
Sergeant Riviere stepped out.
According to regulations Sergeant
Rivere should have counted three as he
plunged downward before jerking the
ring his hand was clutching. Whatever
! he did, he cleared the tail or the ma
/ chine, which was shooting along at close
! to 100 miles an hour before the para
chute pack attached TO his back opened
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