AIRMAN KILLED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 124, 7 March 1941, Page 3

AIRMAN KILLED

PLANE CRASHES AT OTAHUHU. WING LOST IN A SPIN. (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Mar. 6. Losing a wing while flying over Otahuhu about 4 o’clock this afternoon, a Tiger Moth elementary trainer plane from the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Whenuapai crashed in an open space between two houses near the Otahuhu railway workshops and was burned. The pilot, who was flying solo, was killed. The victim was: Leading-Aircraftman Frank Robert Traynor, aged 19, an airman pilot Tinder training. He was the son of Mr F. E. Traylor, of Papatoetoe.

Many persons saw the crash. The plane went into a spin, shedding one wing, which landed about two miles ,away from the scene of the crash, and smaller pieces which were later found scattered; over a wide area. Witnesses considered that; the pilbt j" was; undble to jump from the spinning plane as he appeared to be trapped by, the folded wing. A parachute was recovered from the wreckage. “I was at home when I heard an aeroplane,” said Mr C. Hall, of Otahuhu. “By the sound of the engine, it appeared to be stunting. I then heard the engine roaring unevenly, and ran outside. The plane was spinning down fast, with pieces flying from it. One wing seemed to have gone altogether. The plane crashed and immediately caught fire.” Missing the homes of Messrs G. Hotham and S. Clark, of Kaka Street, by about 20 yards, the plane struck on a grassy patch where children often play, midway between the two houses. Residents nearby ran to the pilot’s assistance, but were driven back by the flames, which burned out the wreckage in a few minutes. So intense was the heat that growing grass was burning when the, Otahuhu Fire Brigade arrived. The flames were extinguished as soon as possible, and constables, aided by traffic officers and civilians, stood guard over the wreckage. A large crowd assembled, and it was necessary to run a wire across the street temporarily fencing off the wrecked aircraft. Telephone messages were sent to Whenuapai and Mangere, and several instructors from Whenuapai station, who were flying with pupils nearby, landed in convenient fields and assisted the police. Born in India, Leading - Aircraftman Traynor was educated at the Wanganui Collegiate School. He enlisted in the Air Force in July last year, and was posted to Levin on December 1.