FATAL AIRCRAFT CRASH

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26203, 29 August 1950, Page 5

FATAL AIRCRAFT CRASH

INQUEST CONCLUDED

CADET PILOTS’ DEATH OFF BIRDLING’S FLAT

“I am satisfied that this unfortunate accident has been very carefully investigated and that there is available on the evidence sufficient* material to enable me to make the findings necessary at a coroner’s inquest,” said the Coroner (Mr Raymond Ferner) at the inquest yesterday on *the deaths of Henry Lyall Jennings Sarjeant, aged 23, and Peter Henry Callahan, aged 20, cadet pilots in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Coroner returned a verdict that each died on April 19, 1950, in the sea at Birdling’s Flat, the cause of death being multiple injuries sustained when a Harvard type training aircraft, N.Z.1088, struck the sea. The evidence showed that the aircraft was seen to be in a spin and falling towards the sea. Although it was not seen to strike the sea it was clear that that was what occurred, said the Coroner. Investigation had not disclosed the cause of the mishap. Neither of the airmen known to be in the aircraft haled out, and both were in the aircraft when it violently struck the sea. “I am satisfied the identity of the airmen has been satisfactorily established. The -evidence is that death was certainly instantaneous and due *o multiple injuries caused by the violence with which the aircraft struck the sea.” Flight Lieutenant K. A. Sawyer said he saw the plane spinning tr wards the sea at 200 to 250 feet. It then went out of sight and he heard an engine noise, followed apparently by a noise of impact. Other Air Force witnesses described searches for wreckage and the bodies of the airmen. According to their evidence. the body of one pilot, identified as that of Sarjeant by a name tag on hxs parachute, was found on April 30 on the shore. A portion of a body attached to another parachute was found on May 1. A medical witness. Flight Lieutenant R. J. Croke, who examined the body recovered, said in answer to the Coroner that death would have been caused by injury and not by drowning. Unsuccessful attempts to raise the aircraft arid recover the bodies from it were described by Sergeant O. D. Wilkes, of the Christchurch Police.