New-York tribune., 1921-06-06
Crowds See Girl Flyer,
Who Laughed as She
Started Upward, Drop
1900 Feet to Earth
Fiance Kisses Her
Goodby at Start
Said to Have Ignored
Warning Plane Was I'm
suited to Her; Out for
Record at Garden City

Yaurs Bromwell, holder Of the world 8
record for airplane looping by a
woman, who made 1s9 complete air
circles at Mineola on May Is, fell to
her death from height OF 1900 feet
yesterday afternoon at the Curtiss
School of Aviation flying field, Gar
den City, L. l., in the presence Of
5000 spectators. She had just COM
pleted one loop.
Miss Bromwell. 1t had been an
nounced. had intended TO break her
record Of May 15. She was plotting
al. M. D. biplane and twenty minutes
before she began her plunge had as
sisted in a minute inspection OF the
plane with officials Of the Curtiss
company. Surrounding the field and
parked in roads for mile about were
hundreds of automobiles, crowded with
sightseers.,
Cheered as She Took or
J. P. Tarbox. vice-president Of the
Curtiss Corporation, shook hands with
Miss Bromweil, who also received the
1sTeWe-iS aHu eood WISHES oi score
OF aviation officials in the group gath
cred at the center of the field The
trim figure of the young aviatrix clad
in dying clothes, with head guard and
goggles, was visible to crowds sur
rounding the felG. They cheered her
enthusiastically as she stepped aboard
and settled herself for the climb. At
tendants spun the propellers and with
short run the machine left the
ground.
Miss Bromwell reached 1900 feet
formed gracefully. It was the last
loop she was ever to make. When a
further climb had taken the plane to
an apparent height of $500 feet it
was seen to sideslip several times in
IN erratic way, but the spectators who
knew nothing of the hazards Of avia-
lion did not realize that Miss Broms
we'll was having trouble with the con-
trcls. They cheered her as she seemed
70 recover balance and headed upward
again. Then the machine suddenly
pointed its nose downward and dived.
Gathering additional momentum with
every yard, the big Canadian type
plane plunged straight down toward
Camp Mills. The machine struck the
roadway between Camp Mills and the
Salvation Army Hotel that adjoins the
camp. More than fifty automobiles filed
with spectators were parked within
100 feet of the spot. When taken from
the tangled wreck the young woman
was dead. Her body had been badly
crushed.
A pathetic feature of the tragedy
Tas The presence at the flying field of
George Davis, Miss Bromwell's fiance
Mr. Davis drove down from New York
in the afternoon and was the last to
speak with the young woman before
she stepped into her seat. They kissed
each other goodby--it proved to be for
the last time. When Davis, who had
been trying to find out exactly where
the machine had landed, was informed
that Miss Bromwell had been killed he
collapsed and became unconscious.
Some time was required to revive him.
Traffic Jam by Spectators
Immediately after the crash hun
dreds Of automobiles parked on roads
surrounding the field began to con-
verge toward the wreck and there fol-
lowed one of the worst traffic jams
ever seen in that neighborhood. There
were not enough police to untangle
the influx and soldiers from Camp
Mills aided in restoring order.
The ascent had been begun in a
series Of wide circles with constantly
increasing altitude. AS she rose from
the ground Miss Bromwell dropped a
handkerchief oversize and there was
good natured scramble for it among
sirdrome attendants. The weather ap-
peared ideal. A light breeze was blow
ing and the clouds were mere light
fluffy masses. The young flyer had an
nounced in advance that she intended
to do at least 210 loops. IL was con-
fdently predicted that she would sue
ceed and bets were made on the out
come Of the test with odds favoring
her.
When height of 1000 feet had been
reached comment was heard among ex-
perts that the engine of the J. M. D.
was missing, but nothing was thought
OF this apparently by the experts them
aelves, while the multitude surrounding
the field did not realize that anything
mad gone wrong.
Among the first to reach the scene
Of the crash were A. T. Consay, chief
Of police of Garden City; ). r. Tarbox.
OF the Curtiss Corporation, and Samuel
Hofsner, watchman at the Alexander
Dye Works, adjoining Camp Mills
Coroner Walter r. Jones ordered thc
body removed to Cornelps Morgue at
dempstead, l.. I.
Seat Strapping Blamed
Aviation experts said last night that
they believed Miss Bromwell was not
securely strapped into place and that
losing the seat in her first loop she
was unable TO regain it, thus losing
control of the plane. Credence is given
10 this theory from the fact that while
the plane was still 1000 feet from the
ground an object was seen to fall from
1t. This proved when it struck the
ground later to be Miss Bromwells
seat cushion.
:. Examination of the machine by Pilot
berteaud after the accident revealed. 1t
was said, that all control wires were
still connected No official statement
ass to the cause of the accident was
gwen out, and it was said none would
Dc forthcoming until q complete in
Vestigation had been made.
Testimony of those who were near
the spot where the plane fell was to
ia effect that Miss Bremwell's motors
were running as she neared the ground.
Irese persons declared that the young
pilot appeared to have lost conscious
ness while ut high altitude. The
Scs.tt,ssA aaaa espwA