Viewing page 9 of 16

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

South Bend, Indiana and on September 6th at the Rock County Fair at Evansville, Wisconsin.  From there they went to Cicero Field, Chicago, Illinois where they flew in the 1912 Air Meet from September 12th to 21st.  Following this they exhibited at Edwardsville, Ill., for seven days and on October 19th they were at Little Rock, Arkansas.  From there they wen to Mont-gomery, Alabama for one week at the Alabama State Fari.  

On October 23, 1912, during motorcycle races, Mitchell and Heth had bee in the air about an hour flying lazily around in view of the crowds.  Intending to conclude his demonstration Mitchell made two very tight circles at about six hundred feet then nosed down in spiral descent.  Reportedly at about two hundred feet his plane started to disintegrate and he crashed just back of the grand stand.  His wife was in the stands but did not see him fall.  Mitchell was badly crushed by the engine and died in a few minutes.  He was then about 33 years old, married but had no children. His body was taken to Camden, Arkansas for burial. To close friends Mitchell had entertained a premotion that he was apt to meet with a fatal accident while flying and had planned to give up exhibition work at the close of the 1912 season. He was a careful, cautious pilot who did not believe in reckless flying.
It is said that Mitchell regarded his aeroplane as about the most wonderful thing in the world and took constant care of it. Mitchell was a very large, good natured man, always a gentleman and a crowd pleaser in his flying exhibition performances.
Flying Pioneer and early sportsman exhibition pilot, Mitchell's flying career was short lived, nevertheless he deserves credit for his interest and participation in promoting early American aviation. His name appears on the Wright Plaque at Dayton, Ohio.