▁crash ed ▁alongside ▁a ▁rail road ▁track ▁in ▁a ▁huge ▁ball ▁of ▁fl ame ▁and ▁smoke . ▁Low ell ▁Bay les ' ▁body ▁was ▁thrown ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁dis integr ated ▁plane . ▁ ▁Analysis ▁of ▁the ▁crash , ▁based ▁on ▁motion ▁picture ▁film ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁exam ined ▁frame - by - frame , ▁showed ▁that ▁the ▁aircraft ' s ▁fuel ▁cap ▁had ▁come ▁loose ▁and ▁crash ed ▁through ▁the ▁Ge e ▁Be e ▁Z ' s ▁wind screen . ▁It ▁struck ▁the ▁pilot ▁and ▁in cap ac itated ▁him , ▁causing ▁a ▁sudden ▁ups et ▁in ▁pitch ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁struct ural ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁wing . ▁In ▁addition , ▁tests ▁of ▁a ▁reprodu ction ▁aircraft ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁the ▁Ge e ▁Be e ▁Z ▁was ▁sus cept ible ▁to ▁aer od ynamic ▁flutter ▁at ▁high ▁speed . ▁ ▁His ▁f ian c ée , ▁Ger tr ude ▁St . ▁Marie ▁of ▁Spring field , ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁his ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Mason , ▁Illinois ▁for ▁his ▁fun eral , ▁along ▁with ▁Mrs . ▁Z ant ford ▁Gran ville . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Category : 1 9 0 0 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 3 1 ▁death s ▁Category : 1 9 3 1 ▁in ▁av iation ▁Category : A vi ators ▁killed ▁in ▁av iation ▁acc idents ▁or ▁inc idents ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Category : American ▁air ▁rac ers ▁Category : F ord ▁National ▁R eli ability ▁Air ▁Tour ▁Category : Pe