AIR LINER CRASHES NEAR CROYDON

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 8

AIR LINER CRASHES NEAR CROYDON

FOURTEEN KILLED. Famous Autogiro Inventor A Victim. TWO HOUSES DESTROYED. TTnited Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) LO2CDONV December 9. Fourteen are dead and three injured as a result of the crash in flames of a Royal Dutch (K.L.M.) air liner in a street in Purlejr a few minutes after leaving 1 Croydon. Three of the victims died in hospital. Survivors include a passenger named Sehuberk, the stewardess and the radio operator.

The machine, a Douglas (American), was delayed by fog but started on receiving reports of improved weather. It crashed close to the spot where the Imperial Airways experimental freight 'plane Vellox came down in flames, with the loss of four lives, on August 10. The Douglas damaged roofs of two houses before it stopped on the roof of an empty one, which was quickly ablaze, the flames spreading to the two adjoin- . ing buildings. The 'plane burned so fiercely that would-be rescuers were unable to get within 20 yards. Two fire engines eventually extinguished the blaze. Five occupants were sent to hospital severely burnt and ten bodies were taken to a mortuary. Passengers included Senor de la Cierva, inventor of the autogiro, anc Admiral Lindmann, ex-Premier oi Sweden.