AVIATOR'S TERRIBLE DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 155, 1 July 1911, Page 17

AVIATOR'S TERRIBLE DEATH.

PETROL TANK BURSTS. DASHED TO EABTH AMID FIERCE FLAMES. A terrible disaster, Indicating a new source of peril to aviators, has occurred at Uiieiiiis, wuece one of the eailiest and mosc tainous nyiug meetings ever held took pluco a year or two ago. Kheims has already been the scene of more than one fatal accident to aviators. The latest accident waa of a character from which aviation has hitherto happily been free. Two men, M. Pierre Marie, a well-known French aviator, and a retiied lieutenant, ivl. JJupuy, "were in the air, the loruier acting as pilot and the latter being a passenjter. They had already done a considerable amount of ilying, and all seemed to be going well with them. Then there occurred some changes in the wind or some other unexpected force sud-

denly developed. Iv auy case the aviators ( hardly seemed ready for the chauge, what- c ever It was, aud their machine tilted daa- ] gerously. For a moment it seemed that the 6 aviator would right the aeroplane, but the j tut developed Into a complete capsizing of f the machine, aiid It was seen that the two i aviators must fall to the earth. . t They were at this momcut at a height of t about 200 feet. ; The hcadlo'ig rush to earth had hardly { begun when the entire aeroplane was sud- ] denly enveloped In a great sheet of flnme, which set fire to the planes. The petrul < tank had broken, and the spirit had caught i fire. ( The plight of the two men was awful. | Neither of them could do anything to save ; j themselves In the few seconds In which the ] 'disaster happened. • M. Dupuy, who was behind the pilot and i nearest to the petrol tank, was terribly burned, being right In the centre of the flames. He dropped to the earth in the i rl ill l-.urning machine, and when picked up ' he was dead. ilis body was burned almost i beyond recognition. ' M. Marie fell to earth clear of the flames and sustained dreadful Injuries. He was . sUll alive when help reached him, and he was at once removed to a hospital. Everything possible was done for him, but he died soon afterwards in great agony. The mncbiue was a monoplane, witli an engine of 100 horse power. The aviator had intended to fly from Rheims to Chalons, but he was warned that the wind was treacherous. He, however, determined to set out. The accident happened a mile or so from the starting-point, nnd the mechanics who went to the aviator's help had to run on foot across country while the aeroplane wns burning with ttie unfortunate passenger beneath it.