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limited number of exhibition engagements in 1912 and continue her work with Leslie's Magazine. Through May and June she was flying at Mineola, Long Island and occasionally carried passengers. In late June she shipped her plane to Boston to compete in the 1912 aviation meet at Harvard Field held June 29th to July 7th. Also flying there were Phil Page, George Gray, Lincoln Beachey, Glenn Martin, Blanche Scott, Charles Hamilton and Charles Niles.
The meet was managed by William A. P. Willard, Charles Willard's father, and on July 1st Harriet took Willard on a flight, intending to go to Boston Light and return. Returning from this flight she started her glide for a landing back at the field when suddenly the plane went into a steep dive from about 1,000 feet. Not strapped in, Harriet and Willard were thrown out of the machine by the sudden downward plunge and their bodies fell in the surf of Dorchester Bay in about five feet of water, where they were both instantly killed. Ironically, the plane came out of the dive on the way down and glided to an almost normal landing with little damage. She was the first woman to be killed in an aeroplane accident in the United States, at age 28. She was buried in Kensico Cemetery, Valhalle, New York. As a result of this tragedy the meet ended at once.
Flying Pioneer Harriet Quimby was indeed one of the first American women to take up flying seriously. In the short period of about one year she gained everlasting international fame for herself. With unusual courage and determination she made aviation history by accomplishments few men would attempt at that time.
[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamp]]