Benny Prinz Killed in Double Parachute Drop, 1910

Eastern Carolina News, Kenansville, N.C., August 17, 1910

Every Bone Broken…Boy Balloonist Turns Over and Over 2,000 Feet…Head Severed on Apple Tree…Across 4,000 Feet…First Parachute Opened Successfully…Ropes Snapped on Second Drop

New York, Special—Benny Prinz, a young balloonist, met a horrible death Friday afternoon at the close of the aviation meet at Asbury Park, N.J. In making a double parachute drop, the second parachute failed to open and he fell more than 2,000 feet. As the swaying body neared the ground, it struck the limb of an apple tree and the boy’s head was transfixed on the limb like an apple on a sharp stick. As it struck the ground the headless body was crushed into an unrecognizable mass.

Prinz was 26 years old and a daring balloonist. With Samuel Hartland of Neward, he went up in a hot air balloon. At the height of 1,000 feet, Hartland cut loose with one parachute and made a successful landing. Lightened by the drop of Hartland, the craft shot up until it reached about 4,000 feet. Then Prinz cut loose. Those who saw his figure say he fell 500 feet before his parachute opened. He sailed slowly earthward for another thousand feet and then cut loose again. There was another terrific drop of about 500 feet when the second parachute opened it checked his fall for a second, then the ropes snapped and the body of the young man shot straight down. Over and over the figure turned, faster and faster, gaining momentum with each revolution. He was shooting head down first when he crashed into the tree, impaling his head on a limb. In the headless trunk every bone was broken. Several of those who witnessed the accident fainted from the horror of the tragedy.