RUDDER JAMMED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1935, Page 16

RUDDER JAMMED.

PARCEL IN COCKPIT. CAUSE OF FATAL CRASH. CORONER COMMENDS PILOT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HOKITIKA, Wednesday. The crash of a Moth, aeroplane at the Franz Josef Hostel on June 20, resulting in the death of Mrs. William Newman, aged 58, appears to have been caused by a bundle of newspapers jamming the rudder control in the pilot's cockpit. This conclusion was reached to-day by the coroner after hearing evidence at the inquest. It was shown that the 'piano was in perfect order. Flight-Lieutenant William Frederick Park, pilot-instructor at Ilokitika, said that a small parcel of newspapers was handed to the pilot before leaving. It was not unusual to carry papers on-a cross-country flight, though the carrying or dropping of parcels from commercial aircraft was forbidden by the Air Navigation Act except by special permission of the Minister. The prohibitory regulations did not apply to privately-owned craft, and did not apply to the flight of Mr. Lawn on June 20. Mr. Lawn had proved a thoroughly competent pilot.

Parcel Across His Knees. Harold Thomas Lawn, who is still a patient at the Westlond Hospital as the result of the burns he received, said he held a B license, which entitled him to carry passengers. Hβ took off on Juna 20 with Mrs. Newman as a passenger in the front cockpit. He was handed a bundle of three or four newspapers tied together, and placed them across his knees, intending to put them at the side of the seat after taking off, but forgot all about them until after the accident.

On sighting the aerodrome he made a left-hajid circuit, and, knowing that work was proceeding on the aerodrome, he flew down low over the runway to see whether everything was in order. He noticed a workman point to a heap of gravel clear of the runway. He rose from tho landing-ground and made a right-hand turn, bringing him back in tho direction from which ho had coma, parallel with the landing-ground. Going well down to allow plenty of room for the turn and approach, he applied righthand bank and rudder for a right-hand turn.

When the turn was commenced, continued Mr. Lawn, ho tried to ease off the rudder and found that it would not move. Hβ realised immediately that this would send the aeroplane diving to the ground. Hβ knew he had to abandon that turn, eo he applied full loft stick and engine. This brought him out of the turn, but owing to the crossed position of the controls the machine was skidding and sinking. It sank nearly to the ground and then started to lift slightly. Then the wheels struck Romething, proba.bly a fence, and the aeroplane dived to the ground, -striking heavily. Efforts To Save Passenger. Witness wae knocked unconscious. Tho next thing ho remembered was seeing tho machine ablaze. He was stiil strapped in his seat, but undid the bolt and scrambled out. He could feel tho heat, but was not on lire. Then he rushed to tho front cockpit to rescue his passenger, but could not see her. Tho whole .•machine was a mass of flame. Tho petrol tank had burst and 14 gallone of petrol had poured over the machine.

Sir. Lawn said that when he was trying to reach the passenger, his clothes caught lire. Failing on ono side, he went to tho other, but tho flames were worse there, and he had to abaudon the effort to reach Mrs. Newman. He heard no sound from her. Then workmen caino along and assisted to remove his burning clothes. Tho aeroplane was completely destroyed. It was not on lire before' reaching the ground.

Tho cause of tho accident, Mr. Lawn eaid, was his inability to move the rudder-bar from tho right-hand position. The only way to account for the accident was that the bundle of papers had slipped from his knees to the floor and worked its way against the rudderbar, causing it to jam. There waa nothing eleo in the cockpit that would cause tho accident. Feasible Explanation. Flight-Lieutenant Park, recalled, saiu he considered that the pilot's explanation of tho accident was feasible, and probably was tho true cause. Since the accident ho had tried out a similar machine with a parcel of newspapers, and the result satisfied Mm of the possibility of the papers jamming the rudder-control under such. Conditions as had been explained. Tho coroner returned a verdict that Airs. Esther Jane Newman waa accidentally killed on June 20 as the result of tho aeroplane crashing when about to land; that tho aeroplane caught firi and was destroyed; that it was in perfect order on leaving the aerodrome; that tho mishap-appeared to have been caused by a bundle of newspapers jamming the rudder-control in tho pilot's cockpit; and that tho pilot was to be commended for the efforts ho made at great personal risk and injury to extricate tho passenger from the burning machine.