The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-04-14
Practice Flight Before Around
the World Voyage Fatal
When Machine Goes Into
Tail-spm.

London. Apr. l5@Sy Tho Associated
Prass9-Slr Toss Smith. the Australian
aviator who with his brother. SIR
Keith. had planned to start from CToy-
con. April s.. on = flight around the
world was killed when his plane crash
ed In \ practice flight at RrookandS
today.
Lieutenant Bennett an snS'neer who
was planning to accompany Str Moss
and his brother on their aroundrthe-
world flighe also was killed
The machine which crashed was inc
enc tho Smiths intended TO use In their
flight Captain Conkerill OF tho WICK
ers company had previously flown X
for hAlt hour then handed It over 70
Captain Smith.
Al tho machine was Approaching tho
sirdrome to land Il eot into a spin ana
tho crash followed.
Brother witnesses fraSo6J
Ths accident occurred Is minutes
after Captain Smith and L'eutenan'
Bennett began their flight Sir Keith
Smith had intended 70 mako the trial
flight with them. but he arrived ut tho
airdrome TOO late and was among mo
crowd that Witnessed the tragedy.
Tho machine had climbed gracefully
10 height OF moro than 5000 rect
when suddenly her nose dipped and she
want into spin. Tho spectators
thought A. first that tho ahmen were
attempting a stunt for tho purpose OF
testing tho wings OF the machine but II
soon became apparent that the plane
was out Of control
Plane spttntarSd
II started downward In q allow SPIN.
which became faster and Easter until
the machine hit the earth With such
sarritse impact that tho plano was
splintsred
Sir ROSS was killed instantly and
Lieutenant Bennett died few minutes
Captain Sir Ross Smith xprans into
prominence IN aviation IN 1913. when
accom- PANIED by his brother. Sir heith'
he made flight from England 70 AUS
tralia 1850 miles winning prtZe OF
10000 pounds sterling. from the Aus
traIAn government Roth aStators
were kniShted FOR the feat
Y~uxht tn war
CaptAin Smith saw distinguished SER
vice in tho European war. drSt with INC
Aus raltan light horse in Egypt and
GallipolL and later al an aviator Win
the Australian Tying corps IN Egypt
and Palestine Fs was one OF the BIT
ish army avtators who IN hecc n oer
1919, made the first Night from Cairo
wsrS 70 visit United States
the routS or the tlSht AROUND lh7
world which tho brothers eIpected TO
start from Croydon. near London. April
%. was BY way o. Franco. Egypt Asia
Minor. india. China. Jaran and Siberia
chance jumping 10 North America at
Retiring Straits with lapdtnES on some
OF tho Aleutian Islands and at Tn
Alaska In Alaska thence across Canada
10 the 500. swinging there TO the south
east 20 New York and continuing along
the New Eng and coast 10 Newfoundland
for the Jump across the Atlantic TO
Ireland
Tno avtstors expected TO cover the
si.5oo miles IN :4o hours OF actual ny
ing spread over period OF months.
Their machine was OF the hydro-at--
plane type fitted with wheels for
alightinE on land and propelled by IN
erEin. OF $50 Horsepower
Entertained Friends Yesterday.
Captain Smith yesterday entertained
A. the yickers works IN Wcyhrtdge a
large party OF friends who came to
wish hlp luck on his attempted world
flight He had completed a.! OF his
arransrmrnts and talked 20 his visitors
with modest confidence in his chances
for success.
Sir Ross was pilot remarkable for
his skill rather than Cor fca;s OF tho