TRAGEDY OF THE AIR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2646, 30 October 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

TRAGEDY OF THE AIR.

DARING AVIATOR’S FALL TO

DEATH

Skilful and daring, M. Eugene Lelebvre, the hero of marvellous feats during the flying week at Rhoims, met death in a violent form while pursuing his newly-acquired vocation as an aviator. The tragic event occurred at Juvisy, in France, where an aviation meet, lasting two .weeks, was held fast month, at which prizes to the value of £lo,ooo' were offered. IVI. Lefebvre was “tuning up’ several Wright machines for customers of the Ariel’ Company, by whom ho was employed as engineer. The first machine he flew belonged to Mr. Defries, and the second, on which he met his death, had been bought by M. Schracck. Both were Wright machines, fitted with Wright motors. After coming down, from his first trip M. Lefebvre seemed to bo slightly irritated, tlie motor not having worked as well as be had wish' ed and he. resolved to try with M. Schraeck’s machine, half an hour elapsing between the two flights. Before the second M. Lefebvre first tried the motor, which seemed to be working perfectly, and them lie went off, rising 30ft into tb© air. He had not travelled more than 600 yards when the clicking sound of the motor suddenly ceased. The biplane was observed te dip sharply forward, and with its head to the ground at almost a perpendicular angle, the aeroplane fell sharply to the earth. There were very few persons present —not more than 15 or 16Among these were M. Michel Clemenoeau (son of the cx-Premier) and two doctors, who, on witnessing the accident, immediately ran forward. une unfortunate engineer was under the aeroplane, which was moved away. It was then seen that M. Lefebvre baa fallen from bis seat and lay motionless on the ground, face downwards. The doctors at once raised him, and one of them shrugged his shoulders expressively. “Ho is dead,” he said, briefly: “we can do nothing for him.” There were no. abrasions of the skin and no wound: It is presumed that death was caused by concussion of the brain. Eugene Lefebvre will be remembered as one of the earliest pupils of the Wright Brothers. He was a young Frenchman who was practical!- unknown to the world of aviation until the great race meeting at Rheims, when right away from the opening he came into prominence as an exceptionally daring aviator, and was called by his friends “the acrobat,” owing to his skill and dash in the air. He drew wild cheers from the crowds by his wonderful manoeuvring, and from Mr. Lloyd-George the observation: “M. Lefebvre seemed to be able to do anything he liked on his aeronlane.” He gained the second prize for a flight with a passenger at Rheims. Oil the first day he put up a record, subsequently beaten, of a 10 kilometre flight in eight minutes.