FATAL CRASH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 16, 30 October 1933, Page 7

FATAL CRASH

THE ACCIDENT AT BLENHEIM. CORONER COMMENDS PILOT. (Per Press Association)BLENHEIM, October 28. A graphic story of a tragic flight in an uncontrollable aeroplane was told at the resumed inquest this afternoon into the death, after a crash at Blenheim aerodrome on September 24, of Edgar Thomas Maindonald, of Reefton. The Coroner (Mr E. J. Hill), in returning a- yerdict of accidental death, said the evidence disclosed that Pilot A. E. Willis deserved commendation for the presence of mind, aviation skill and nerve he displayed. “In my opinion he did everything humanly possible in the circumstances,” said the Coroner. “With a Jess experienced pilot the tragedy might have been much more appalling.” Sergeant C. Peterson conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police, while Mr P. J. O’Regan, of Wellington, with Mr C. T. Smith, of Blenheim, represented Mrs'Maindonald, and Mr A. E. L. Scantlebury, of Blenheim, representing the surviving passenger Mr Bert Cummings, of Ikamatua, near Reefton, who has just been discharged from hospital. Formal evidence disclosed that the aeroplane was thoroughly examined by fiight-Lieutenant Bolt, of the Wellington Aero Club, at the request of the Marlborough' Aero Club, on the Friday before the accident, and it then was in good order. It flew only an hour and a half afterwards before the crash. Medical evidence was that death was due to fracture of the skull.

Passenger’s Evidence. Bert lan Cummings, contractor, Ikamatua, who was a passenger in the ’plane, described how they left Blenheim on the morning of Saturday, September 23, for Wellington, where they spent the day. The following morning they left on the return journey to Blenheim. Willis piloted the ’plane on both occasions. On the way to Wellington the '’plane functioned perfectly, and also on the way back up to a few minutes before landing. :■ The Sergeant: What did you notice then?—l noticed that the ’plane was inclined to dive as soon as the power was shut off.

Did the pilot try to draw your attention to anything after you noticed the ’plane not behaving as usual ?■—He tried to, but we could not hear what he was saving. We realised that something was wrong, and concluded that that was what he was ti'ying to tell us. From the time the machine behayed strangely whaf policy did the pilot adopt?—He kept shutting the engine off and putting it on again, and the ’plane came down in a series of steps. And that continued up to the time of the crash?—Yes. What was the last thing you remembered? —Hitting the ground. ■ My next conscious recollection was being in the hospital. Have you any idea of tho elevation you were at when the pilot last shut off power?—l don’t know. I was well down in the cockpit by then as I realised what was coming.

You tied-yourself up in a hall ready for a crash?—Yes. 1

When Trouble Was First Noticed 1 .

The pilot of tho ill-fated ’plane, Alexander Esteourt Willis, stated that on the day. proceeding the crash he piloted the same‘machine to Wellington Avith deceased and Cummings as passengers. They returned on the Sunday. The Sergeant: Prior to leaving Wellington did you test the controls ? Yes.

The Coroner: Including the elevator control?—Yes. It functioned perfectly.

Did you have any difficulty in leaving the ground?—None at all. On the journey oyer did you notice any trouble ?—About opposite the entrance to Port Underwood I first noticed there was something wrong. I found immediately that the elevator control was not working as it should. That was at an elevation of about 5500 feet.

From then on did you at any time get control of the elevator? —No. Did you test it?—No. I did not in any way touch it until I was over "the land.. Then I started to £est the controls and discovered they were all functioning normally except the backward movement of the stick which raises the elevator. I looked over ms’ shoulder and could see that the elevator's were not functioning.

What course did you then adopt?— After I had gone through the test I tried to inform Cummings, who was sitting immediately in front of me, that something was wrong. I then throttled back the engine and the machine went into a steep dive. I immediately opened the throttle again wide. The nose came up gradually, and the machine levelled out.

Working the Engine. Then I decided the only way to get down was by working the engine and coming down in a series of short dives, which I did. When the machine was over the aerodrome I gave the engine a final burst t 6 level the machine and then switched off the ignition. The machine started to dive again, and hit the ground, I should say, at an angle of 45 degrees. Of its movements on the ground I don’t know, ‘ The Sergeant: It was too erratic to follow? I was rolling -about inside it. When the machine came to rest J pulled the passengers clear and then went for assistance.

Cross-examined by Mr O’Regan witness said he was aware that a passenger machine must be inspected by a licensed ground engineer every twentyfour hours. ’ln this case it had not been so inspected since the I riday be•for the crash—thirty-eight hours—except bv himself. The reason was that the' Marlborough Club’s ground engineer happened to be absent from Blenheim.

Squadron-Leader T. M. Wilkes, Controller of Civil Aviation, gave evidence of an inspection of the damaged machine on the afternoon of the accident. He described tests made, which disclosed that one of the control cables

was detached from the hell crank le\er, and on investigation amongst the debris in the rear of the fuselage he located a broken shacklepin, and a split-pin, such as would be used' for securing the cable to the lever. There was nothing to show that it was the actual split-pin that had been in the shackle, and it might have been an old pin that had been dropped there, but he could find no other. The Sergeant: What would be the effect of the pin being out of the shackle?— The pilot would he unable to raise the nose of the ’plane. The Coroner: To what do you ascribe tho accident?—That is what I am trvin- to find out. The accident could have been caused by the.spbt-pm coinincr out of the shackle, and tiie shackle becoming detached, but .t could have been due to their being no split-pm m position in .the first place. , I want your opinion of -whethei tho pilot did everything possible to make a landing with the least ill-effects think he put up a very excellent O’Regan: None of use is hero say anything to the contrary, sir. The Sergeant: If the cable had been disconnected he could not have left Rongotai ? —No.

Would Have Been Certified. If the ground engineer’s inspection had' been made before the flight and the controls had been, found to have been functioning, it is reasonable to say that the ’plane would have been certified? —Yes. It is quite apparent, then,, that tins disability occurred during the flight. Obviously. Would a ground engineer s ordinary inspection have disclosed this cable was not all right?—Not a daily one. Replying to Mr Scantlebury the witness said that the split-pin he found had only one wing bent back, the other being broken off where it would come through the shackle-pin, and he took it that such a pin would he rejected by a ground engineer if the defects showed when the pin was put in. Examined by Mr O’Regan, witness said that the departmental inquiry which had been conducted at Blenheim, Wellington and Christchurch had not yet been concluded. It was not a public inquiry, and the relatives of the passengers were not represented, but the finding would he made public. If the split-pin, had been properly put in at the outset it would not hqve come out. The machine was repaired some three months ago by New Zealand Airways at Timaru. It was practically rebuilt and: the cables would he dismantled and replaced. This completed the evidence offered by the police, hut Mr O’Regan submitted that as the inquest was. of great public importance Flight-Lieu-tenant Bolt, the Wellington Club’s ground engineer, should be called. The Coroner, however, said he had made up his mind as To how deceased met his death, and there was no need ■to call Flight-Lieutenant Bolt in these proceedings. He delivered his verdict as stated.