NOTED N.Z. FLYER'S TRAGIC DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 122, 25 May 1936, Page 7

NOTED N.Z. FLYER'S TRAGIC DEATH.

MR. O'HARA KILLED.

Stall and Nose-Dive Crash In New South Wales. FRIENDS' FEARFUL ORDEAL. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. News was received at Sydney yesterday afternoon of the tragic death of the well-known New Zealand airman, Mr. W. M. O'Hara, Tasmah flyer, who crashed shortly after taking off at Eumungerie, 315 miles west of Sydney. The aeroplane caught fire and" Mr. O'Hara was almost incinerated. Stalling of the engine is believed to be the cause of the 'plane's nose-dive. The machine was completely destroyed, even aluminium parts of the engine being reduced to small heaps of powder resembling powdered chalk. A number of lantern views of New Zealand scenes wore found about 15 feet from the wreckage. The Air Accident Investigation Committee has sent a special representative to the scene. Since the flyer left Sydney on the first stage of a leisurely flight to Java, he had been staying on a sheep station, the property of Mr. Justice Boyce's son, Mr. R.' E. Boyce, 40 miles from Dubbo.

His Klemm aeroplane was parked a mile away in a paddock. Mr. O'Hara motored to the paddock yesterday morning with a party of friends, including the wife of Mr. Justice Boyce. The airman took off for Dubbo where he had intended to pick up a hat and to continue to Cootamundra, where he was to have had luncheon with a fellow airman, Mr. Butler. The machine rose to a height of 200 ft and circled. Mr. O'Hara waved a farewell and then banked sharply. The machine immediately nose-dived to the earth and burst into flames. The airman was thrown four feet from the aeroplane, but not out of reach of the flames, and he was soon a human torch. His friends could not approach him owing to the heat, but finally they dragged him away Vith a branch of a tree. An examination of the body revealed that many of Mr. O'Hara's bones were broken, and that he had suffered injuries to the head which, themselves, it is thought, proved fatal. The body will be brought to Sydney to await the relatives' instructions in regard to the burial. Born at Thames in 1899, Mr. O'Hara was the eldest 6on of Mrs. M. O'Hara and the late Mr. Patrick O'Hara, of Wharepoa, Thames Valley, who arrived from Ireland in the late 'nineties. After education at Kopti and other Thames Valley schools, Mr. O'Hara studied at Sydney University. He was attached to the machine-gun corps, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, during the Great War, enlisting as a private, and being promoted to commissioned rank before the war ended. Since the war Mr. O'Hara had been living at Dampit, Java, where he had interests in rubber and coffee plantations.

In 1934 he visited New Zealand, and, spent some time with his mother and brother-in-law, Mr. E 4 Maclntyre, manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Warkworth, and bis sister, Mrs. Maclntyre. He was not married. Some years ago Mr. O'Hara obtained his flying license at the Perth Aero Club, West Australia. After doing considerable flying in Java, Mr. O'H'ira was the first New Zfealander to make a solo flight across the Tasman. On October 19, 1935, he left Gerringong Beach, New South Wales, and landed at Mangere aerodrome, Auckland, 12 hours 47 minutes later. On that occasion he used a British Klemm Eagle cabin monoplane, the same as that in which he crashed. He also became known as "Pilot X," because, he explained, he did not want to cause his mother or relatives any anxiety.

After spending some time in New Zealand, Mr. O'Hara left by the Monowai and arrived at Sydney on .May 5. Ho then announced that he intended to fly to Java in his monoplane. He left Mascot aerodrome. Sydney, last Monday afternoon, and had intended flying by way of Gunnedah, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Derby and Darwin.