harrietquimby

This is a truly historic photograph. This is Harriet Quimby with William Willard, organizer of the Third Annual Boston Aviation Meet of 1912. With Willard, as passenger, Quimby circled the Boston Lighthouse as part of the airshow. On the return flight back the aircraft was at 1000 ft. making its landing descent. Inexplicably, Willard was thrown suddenly from the plane. The aircraft pitched further and Quimby also was ejected. Both died on impact in the shallow waters. The tragedy took place on July 1, 1912.

Another photo of Harriet Quimby at the same location, but taken from a different angle:

This appears to sadly be the retrieval of Harriet Quimby's body in Squantum, MA after she and her passenger, William Willard, were thrown out of her Bleriot Monoplane and fell to their deaths during the Third Annual Boston Aviation Meet on July 1, 1912. One wonders if the two photos before this one are of Miss Quimby and Mr. Willard before their ill-fated flight? Here are two more photos in the SDASM collection, apparently continuing the photo sequence: