CHARGE OF LOW FLYING

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 3

CHARGE OF LOW FLYING

INSTRUCTOR PLEADS NOT GUILTY “The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, March 10. Alleged to have flown an aeroplane under telephone and power lines on the new southern outlet at Otahuhu, Cyril Oswald Chambers, an instructor at the Auckland Aero Club at Mangere, pleaded not guilty to a charge of low flying at the Otahuhu Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Senior-Sergeant H. L. Smith said that about 10 a.m. on September 7, 1952, telephone lines were broken in Water street. Otahuhu, and witnesses gave evidence of seeing a red aeroplane flying low about that time.

William Edward Fisher said that his attention was drawn to a low-flying aeroplane, which he thought was going to land. It was at about house-top level, and flew down the new motorway for about 150. yards. v Fred Beatson said that he heard the roar of an aeroplane engine and saw the top of an aeroplane in a cutting, but could not see the fuselage and thought it was going to crash. The pilot seemed to be rising, and then he apparently saw the telephone wires and dipped to go underneath them and also power lines further on. About five or 10 minutes later witness saw that the wires were broken. Witness said he did not take the number of the plane, but it was red in colour and had two men in it. Under cross-examination he said he deduced that the aircraft had hit the wires, but was sure that it went under them.

John. Roland March, chief flying instructor at the Auckland Aero Club, said that two of the Club’s Tiger Moth aeroplanes were flying between 9.45 and 10.15 a.m. on September 7. They were coloured red and silver. John JJicbard Bonnington said that he' was flying with Chambers at that time and that their machine was in the vicinity of the new motorway at the time mentioned, but he was sure that the machine was not as low as stated by witnesses. The case was adjourned. Mr J. W. Kealy, S.M., was on the Bench.