AIR CRASH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 92, 19 April 1941, Page 10

AIR CRASH.

FLYER LOSES LIFE. ONE RESCUED BY SOLDIERS. When a Tiger Moth aeroplane from the New Zealand Air Force ha-e at Hobsonville crashed into Kangitoto Channel near Castor Bay yesterday afternoon one airman lo#t hi- life awl his companion escaped with minor hijUlies. A party or men of t'.ie IToyal New Zealand Artillery, who had *ocn tho era*h, swam nearly half a mile to the flyer*" assistance and brought tlio survivor ashore. The cause of the crash iJ

not vet known. The victims were:— Killed. Pilot-Ofliwr Bertrand William Butler, H"*d -2.:>, single, a son of Mr. and .Mr?. j'r. Butler, of Invercargill. A brother is Brother Patrick, of Sacred Heart College, Auckland. Injured. Pilot-Officer Maurice Harry Hey. auod 21. single, a son ot Mr. and Mr*. H. Hov, of *», <;rafton ISoad. Iki.-eneuth. Wellingtou. He *iiffered from shock and abrat-iims, and after receiving medical attention returned to hi- Nation. He has a In-other ser\iiij with tlie Air Force at Whcuuanai. Body Recovered. Botli oflieers who liad recently Ikk-ii transferred to Holiso'iville. where they were to begin an in*ti"Ui-torV i-uui>c oil Monday, were, in one of the station aircraft, fitted with (liii'l contnil*. The botly of Pilot -Officer Uiitlci \\iir- reeovpied last evening ;>"d brought to Auckland. Tho wrecked aeroplane «'«< drngged ashore on Ca*t<ir Bay Beach l>y a naval party.

Fn.in the top of *t-ep clitT* overlooking the channel, dinners J. U'Mwira, ■'. H. Hipkins and ('. Mansell, all of the Itoyal New Zealand Artillery, and Mr. \Y." C he Ito ill, of Castor Bay. wintered the accident ami also saw Pilot-Officer Hoy climb from the machine and grin the" tail, which was sticking out of the water.

Tlic aircraft sank rapidly, however. and the airman was left ftfii.yylinpr in tlic water in hie* heavy flying clothe? and attempting to »wim about 4<Kt yards to the shore. (iunners O'Meara and Hipkiiie threw off their clothes and swain out to Pilot-Oflk'or Hoy. supporting! him until they were joined hj- (iiinncr Mansell and Mr. I holford, who had brought a rope. The li\e men then succeeded in gctlin;: to the shore without having to use the rope. Pilot-Officer H<<y war attended by an army doctor, .4n<l was later taken to Hobsonville. No trace could then be found of Pilot-Oflicor Butler, and it is believed that lie was caught in the machine when the wings buckled under the impact. Naval launcho* were brought to the .i'.cne. and Pilot Officer Butler's body was later recovered, with the wrecked machine. Dropped into Sea. An cye-witnes* story of the di-ai-ter whs told by the Isev. ('. .1. Bu-.liK.ing. who lives in Huntly Koad. near l'a*tor Bay. He (-aid the machine was low when he first saw it approaching from the landward side It went even lower,

and suddenly Cropped into the sea nose first. It settled and sank almost immediately about 400 or r>oo yards from the shore, part of the tail ?t'ill sticking o'ut of the water. He saw one of tho occupants get out and hold on to the tail and then strike out for the shore, and also the rescue bv the soldiers.

Another aircraft appeared shortly afterwards and circled in the vicinity, and soldiers wrote in the smooth saiid of the beach a message stating that Pi lot-Officer Butler was" missing and also marked the number of the wrecked aircraft so that the pilot could return to his ba<se and report.

Pilot-Oflicer Butler wa* born in Invercargill, and educated at the Mmist Brother*-' School in that city, and at •Sacred Heart College, Auckland. He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force last year, and was trained at Levin. Dunedin and Blenheim before hein" transferred to Hobsonvillc almor-t a fortnight ago.