FATAL AEROPLANE CRASH

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21118, 20 March 1934, Page 10

FATAL AEROPLANE CRASH

PASSENGER'S STORY j i K.N GIN E TO Hi: TAKEN TO j \vej.ijn<;tox I : A 1-r J.IA :s ' X rEi.M., r.AM. ) ! WELLINGTON. March 10. I An account of the accident to the'; j aeroplane which crashed near Kongo- ; I tai en Saturday, was pivcti by Mr L. j | \V. Swan, the passenger. | Before leaving Wellington lur Ncl- | | .-'on on Saturday he said, they received i i [wo weather reports, one early in the 1 'jnioHinu; and the other immediately j s | before the take-off. Conditions were j * I idea! at the outset, though there were j £ | clouds over the water. They rose to j . a hitih altitude, and Mr E. R. Boucher, I L at the controls, thinking the clouds | were nut very thick, attempted to fly j throu.L'.h them. After some time he j 1 apparently thought lie was not Jtoiin; i 1 to j,et through them, and tried to j;et 1 ■ back into clear air. lie did a complete - circle and tiew over the hills. i Mr Boucher, at this ;;tai;e, said he was Hying at 2000 feet, and that was i ' net bae.h enou;;h. Almost immediately j [ afterwards the machine hit a hill. "Whether one or both of us lost j ' consciousness 1 can't say." said Mr ' ; i Swan. "What 1 think is that both of \ , us h'- ; t consciousness. Apparently I . recovered more quickly. aiul ran about j ' on the higher peaks nearby calling for j help. 1 then climbed down into the : . valley, soaked my handkerchief in I water. returned and washed .Mr I 1 noucher. and also eased him as much as possible." Mr Swan estimated that the crash \ occurred about 0.-lO a.m. lie reinained | with Mr Boucher till noon. Mr ! Boucher was conscious throughout. I I C'ciild Not Liffht l ire | It was not possible to light a lire to attract attention, as the petrol lank had been hurled down the valley and was empty. Anyway, the clouds were li>o low. At about midday they agreed I hat the l only way to fiet help was for; Mr Swan to try to reach the coast, lie; ; i-i trieved the aeroplane's compass; and j got his direction. The district was u J particularly nast.v cue, the aeroplane I having clashed on a \ cry steep slope, j I lie made Air Roiieher as eon i fort able | as p j: sibie under the machine's broken i v. •:i ■; ana sC oil'. II was. very ardaou.-. 1 t.< in;:, lie said, and at times ho thinks, j he v. a., pasHy asleep, but rests t.ave 1 h'ni sI ri i is:!i c-..t rv op. To avoid ! wa.tcrfal Is he had to climb up steen i j t'aei s. at limes 200 feet hi.:;h. Kventu:ai I ho S'sseii l d the l>e;vh. after about 1 : tela' la as., (lo the beach b" mot a 1 o.oie :;...o and a h'!. mid they .-cut I tor an ambulance. I!y this time, said i Mr S'.ain, la- eoiikl hardly walk. i I f'.irts Stolen ! A i-.txv.amc has ie i t b,r the scene ■ I o.' 'lie ciash to bei'.iii di•ma i■; ii ng the' i engine of the iiiaehme. mi that it may. , be packed ; nto WeUim'ton on horses. ' !: will probably be a da;, or two i b. fore till., can Ix d-iio. Several of' 111'- ia f ||V 'el <|e.\ ei I pari .- of (ho en- ; I Sine, including la'- m.a :':e!o and the I eai bin e! i< »r. -.veiv s'olos ie, .- i■ • 11! reel's ! A .iepaiiaa en,miry into tile I oan.-e <•! the c: a •!) w.i! ho held later. I I SVMI'A'I in Of SI U ( lIAhM.IiS . K INtiSI'OKD-SMrni I "I ea'l i ... '..c IS> coma lent on the ' cra.-n near Kongotai Aerodrome in! winch -Mr Is. I'. Boucher was killed.; except to express my very sincere! s vmpathy." said Sir Charles Kingsford- j Suuth last eienini:, when asked to ex-j press his opinion ol the tragedy. "It j only shows how careful \,,u have to: iie when living in cloud ", especially ! il ;• our machmo :s not equipped for 1 i nlmd !ly .1'!!. Tiio death of Mr IJouche:-. who v. a ; an experienced pilot, will lie a .en at blow to the Auckland Aero Club, of which. I believe, he was one of the founders."