Howard W. Gill

Howard W. Gill (1882 - September 14, 1912)[1] was a pioneer U. S. aviator from a wealthy Baltimore tea family. He died as the result of a night time mid-air collision with fellow pilot Frenchman George Mestach during a meet at Cicero Field Chicago.

Howard Gill
Born
Howard Warfield Gill

1882 (*per tombstone)
Baltimore, Maryland
DiedSeptember 14, 1912
Cicero Field, Chicago, Illinois
Resting placeGreen Mount Cemetery, Baltimore City, Baltimore, Maryland
Occupationaviator
Years active1911-12
A Wright Model B flown by Gill at Miami, Florida.

Death

Gill had been in the air September 14, 1912, in a Wright Model Ex single seater, as night was coming on. He did not want to go aloft as night was coming on but promoters of the flying meet pressured him to ascend. It was to the understanding of the pilots that no two airplanes were supposed to be in the air at the same time. George Mestach was told this but went up in his Morane-Borel monoplane before Gill landed. Mestach did not see that Gill hadn't landed yet and collided with Gill's tail rigging. The two planes crashed, in a similar fashion to the 1910 René Thomas - Bertram Dickson crash at Milan. Mestach sustained cuts and bruises but survived, Gill was mortally wounded and died before getting to the hospital.[2]

References
  1. Howard Gill at findagrave.com
  2. CICERO FLYING FIELD; an article on the historic Chicago airfield by Carroll Gray, aviation historian
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