AIR FATALITY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19115, 26 September 1927, Page 9

AIR FATALITY.

GERMANY'S WORST SMASH. SIX PEOPLE KILLED. (BT CABLE—PRESS ASBOCIATIOK COPXBIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN . AXD N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.! BERLIN, September 23. There are now six deaths in the Schlitz air accident, which was the worst crash in the history of German civil aviation. A huge passenger 'plane, which has been engaged for some months in the Lufthansa's Berlin-Munich service, was en route to Munich, and was passing o%'er Schlitz, when it developed a defect. The pilot appeared to try to land. Some say a wing broke off, but others report an explosion, followed by a sheet of flame from the engine, after which a wing became detached at a height of 500 feet.

The 'plane spun earthwards, and overturned ablaze at three hundred feet. It was an inferno when it crashed in pieces, under which the occupants were imprisoned. All were fearfullv scorched and mutilated.

The mechanic, Pelier, was just alive, and soon expired.

The others apparently were killed instantly.

The cause of the disaster is a mystery. The 'plane was overhauled before sailing, and certificated as airworthy. It had not entered the treacherous mountain zone when it collapsed. Baron von Maltzan was on a holiday from America, and had conferred with President von Hindenburg and members of Cabinet. He had arranged to return to New York on October 7th, and was en route to Munich to rejoin his •wife and little daughter. The others killed were Herr von Arniu, the Lufthansa's, mechanical director, Herr Eoell, director of the Eeich railways, the pilot, who had flown on the route for months, and also an apprentice pilot. It is recalled that Baron von Maltzan came into diplomatic prominence as the originator of the Eapallo Treaty. He had a disagreement in 1914 with the Kaiser, who rejected bis proposal to cede Tsing-tao to Japan to prevent the latter's entry into the war.