PILOT KILLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 73, 28 March 1941, Page 8

PILOT KILLED.

PLANE CRASHES.

NEAR HELENSVILLE.

MACHINE IN FLAMES

The pilot of a Royal Xow Zealand Air I'oive training plane \\a« killed when tlie machine crashed ami burst into (lames at Wood hill, near Helensvijle, at 1 1 o'clock this morning.

The victim was: Airman Pilot Eflwin Chaytor Moore, single, aged His mother is Mrs. M. A. Moore. 110. Mount Eden Road, Auckland.

The plane was attached to the Whenuapai rotation. It was observed to cut off its motor and glide down, but watchers consider that the pilot delayed too long in switching on the motor again. The machine appeared to be caught by the wind and turned over, crashing in a paddock on Dr. Aitken--1 load's farm, which is being managed by Mr. Ross.

The machine immediately burst into flames and was completely destroyed.

A column of mechanised t r oops were passing at the time of the tragedy and troops went immediately to the rescue, but rhey were unable to save the airman, who was killed.

Mr. •(. K. Kiddie. who saw the accident from his cowshed, said that the machine appeared to bo gliding down gently with tho motor turned off. but in his opinion the. motor was not brought into commission again in time to clear the ground. There was a south-wot breeze blowing at the time and the machine appeared to lie caught before striking the ground.