Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 8 January 1912, page 9


AEROPLANE MISHAP.

MR. HART AND PASSENGER.

THROWN FROM THEIR SEATS.

Mr. W. E. Hart, the well-known young Australian aviator, sustained a slight acci-

dent at Penrith on Saturday.

Mr. Hart, who intended later to fly to Parra-matta, had made an ascent in the morning, accompanied by a pupil, Major Rosenthal, a member of the Aerial League of Australasia. At first the flight appeared to be eminently successful, but on reaching the vicinity of Mount Druitt Mr. Hart began to encounter weather conditions of a highly adverse charac-ter. Perceiving that an immediate descent was necessary, be looked about him for a suitable place to alight, and could see nothing but scrub and the railway line. Meanwhile he had to choose quickly, and he chose the railway. Here, howover, the telegraph lines presented a difficulty, and, unhappily, as Mr. Hart was endeavouring to steer between the posts the canvas wing of his machine struck one of the poles. The canvas was torn, and Mr. Hart and Major Rosenthal were thrown from their scats, luckily receiving no worseinjury than a scratch and a bruise. As for the machine, Mr. Hart expects to have it fully

repaired in a couple of days.

Immediately after the accident Mr. Hart sent a message through to Parramatta to say that a mishap had occurred, and that he would be unable to fly there that day. The news caused great disappointment, as a very large crowd had already been walting for some time in the hope of witnessing the ar-rival and subsequent flight of the young avi-ator.