The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-06
LOOP QUEEN KILLED IN l,OOO-FOOT FALL
 AT MITCHELL FIELD.
Rr Assoriated PrrssI

Mineopal. N Y., June 5.--Miss Laura Cromwell, holder of the loop the loop record for women, and one of the best killed at Mitchell field this afternoon.
 Miss Cromwell was flying at all alti- tude of about 1000 feet when the acci- dent happened. She had Jast completed one loop and was about to make sec ond, when something wen. wrong with the plane and it crashed to the ground.
 Miss Cromwell, whose home was in Cincinnati, was 2s years old.
 She established her loop-the loop rec ord on May IS last when she executed The same afternoon she piloted her air plane over a two-mile straightaway course at tNe rate of 135 miles an hour
 Military observers, who witnessed the flight declared that the girls airplane motor stopped abruptly as she was making the upward turn of the loop. Suddenly the machine fell backward into a taiIspin and dropped like a plummet into a road just outside the field.
 Hundreds of spectators sasped as the plane fell and then rushed to where it struck the ground. The girls iifeless body was found in the tangleed wreck age. Miss Cromwell had tested her ma chine before engaging in her stunts, army officers said, and had pronounced it in good condition.
 Miss Bromwells machine went through the first loop with the grace of bird She had just started sec ond when suddenly the hum of the motor stopped and the plane lurched sidewise. It seemsd to remain suspend ed minute and then started its me teoric drop.
 A dark object flew from the machine and many spectators. thinking that the straps holding the aviatfix in her heal iiad broken, letting her fall into space fshuddered and turned their heads It later proved to be a seat cushion, which became released when Miss Bromwel was swung clear of the seat as the plane started to fall upside down. Experienced aviators who witnessed the accident declared that the girls ap- parent inability to manipulate the con trol levers in an effort to right the plane probably was due to her being | swung from the seat so that she could not reach them.
 She was flying high enough. they said. to have brought the plane safely to earth even though the motor had stopped if she had been able freely ts use the levers.
 Statement Issued
 R. H. Depew, manager of the Cur. tiss field here, tonight issued the fol. I lowing statement relative to Ms. Bromwelrs accident.
 l Mss BramwelPs own plane was ou l of order. She borrowed a Canadian training plane. a type which. because of Miss Bromwell's small statue. sht l was unsuited to stunt.
 l II warned her not to attempt !; loop 1t, but sht dsregarded the in structions. In the middle of the secont loop, the cushion she sat on fell ou and she evidently slipped out of reaci of the controls and was unable to righ the plane.
 Examination of the wreck disclosed all controls to be in working order.
 Other aviation experts pointed ou that the safety belt in the Canadian plane was higher than in the one sh had been accustomed to use. Conss lquently when she slipped head down ward from her seat in the Canadian ! plane she apparently was unable (, gain any leverage with which to rigfl the machine.
 WELL KNOWN IN CINCINNATI r Cincinnati, Ohio. June 5-Miss Lanr: