MUSTANG PILOT’S DEATH

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27700, 2 July 1955, Page 8

MUSTANG PILOT’S DEATH

INQUEST OPENED AT AUCKLAND REASON FOR CRASH NOT KNOWN (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 1. The shattered parts of a Mustang fighter were displayed in the Auckland Coroner’s Court today when an inquest was opened into the death of a Territorial Air Force Pilot Officer. Andrew lan Fran ch. aged 22. who disappeared while on a training flight from Whenuapai on March 20. The pilot’s body was never found, in spite of an extensive air, sea and coastal search. The Coroner (Mr A. Addison) said in giving his verdict that the evidence led “irresistibly” to the conclusion that French lost his life in the crash, but why the fighter crashed it was impossible to say. Aircraftman Denis Lovell said that everything about the aeroplane and its take-off was “quite normal." He had given it the usual inspection and refuelling. Cross-examined by Mr McKay, for deceased’s parents, the witness said he knew that French had had a Mustang fighter catch fire while he was flying last November. Squadron Leader John Pearce Horsley, technical officer at Whenuapai, said that to the best of his knowledge the R.N.ZA.F. had not before lost a Mustang at sea. All previous losses had been over land and had been accounted for. Questioned about previous trouble with Mustangs, Squadron Leader Horsley said that at present all Mustang fighters were grounded because of trouble with- landing-gear. They had previously been grounded because of radiator trouble which had caused overheating in the engine. Sludge had been found in the radiators. and modifications had been made to overcome this trouble. The witness described various Mustang fighter parts that had been found washed up on the West Coast a few days after the crash. Delivering his verdict, the Coroner ' paid a tribute to the work of the Air-i Sea Rescue Organisation. He expressed ) his sympathy with the parents of the ■ deceased. “In view of the absence of material parts of the aeroplane it is impossible to “T, why crashed and just how the pilot met his death.” he said.