LIGHTNING STRIKES AIRLINER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20543, 11 May 1932, Page 11

LIGHTNING STRIKES AIRLINER.

« WIRELESS PLANT DESTROYED. PASSENGERS NOT INJURED. (UXITED rBJBBS ASSOCIATION—BT ELECTEIC TILEOBAPH—COPTSIGHT.) LONDON, May 10. Tlie Imperial Airways giant liner Horatlus was to fly across the Channel with 13 passengers. While at an altitude of 2000 feet, among clouds, over 3'onbridge, it was struck by lightning, and the wireless aerial fused and dropped off the wireless equipment, which is near the pilot. The crew and passengers were uuinjured. Tho pilot cautiously returned to Croydon, where the passengers were transferred to another liner, and continued their voyage to Paris. The air-liner departed from Croydon iii heavy rain, and encountered a severe thunderstorm with lightning. Suddenly a purple flash ran up the trailing aerial, oestroying the wireless. It out two windows in the pilot's cockpit, fragments of flying glass felightly splitting the two lower propellers. The pilot, Captain Jones, had a narrow escape. The door communicating with the cockpit from the cabin was blown open, but the passengers, including four women, were reassured by the crew, and remained perfectly calm.