AUCKLAND FLYING ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 102, 24 January 1930, Page 12

AUCKLAND FLYING ACCIDENT

INQUEST CONCLUDED ' USE OF UNLICENSED v MACHINE Dominion Special Service. Auckland, January 23. The inquest concerning the deaths of Captain D. E. Harkness and Mr. C. I’. Goldsbro, the pilot and mechanic respectively who were involved in the loss of the Doriner-Libelle flying-boat off Milford on December 12, was concluded before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner. A verdict that deaths were due to drowning as a result of the flying-boat accidentally crashing was returned. Evidence on the lines of that heard at the Air Force inquiry, held shortly after the accident, was given. . , Archibald Slinger, engineer to the Takapuna Borough Council, and Constable W. G. Wood, of Takapuna, referred to the strange behaviour of the machine on nearing Milford. Constable Wood stated that he conducted an unsuccessful search for the stone ballast which it was alleged was carried in the cockpit of the machine. It was his opinion that the stone would have been buried by the constant movements of the sand on the beach had it been thrown out of the machine. H. R. Burrett, a shareholder in Aerial Services, Limited, the company operating the boat, said that he noticed no stone in the cockpit when the machine left on the fatal flight. The coroner said that he had read the evidence given at the inquiry. This was very conflicting on this point, and it was impossible to say whether a stone had been carried. The finding of the inquiry and a statement were submitted by Major L. M. Isitt. who was associated with Captain S. Wallingford, of Hobsonville air base, and Flying Officer R. J. Copley, engineer of the Auckland Aero Club in the holding of the inquiry. Act Not Clear.

Questioned by the Coroner, Major Isitt said that the Aviation Act did not make it very clear whether any person other than the pilot should be allowed to fly in an unlicensed machine. “A man may go up and risk his life in a machine, but he should not ask his servant to go also/’ the Coroner said. Renlying to Mr. E. P. Goldsbro, father of C. F. Goldsbro, witness said that it was not necessary for two persons to fly the machine. However, an auxiliary petrol system had been installed, and the mechanic’s services might have been required in that direction. Probably he would also wish to obtain first-hand knowledge of the working of the new installations. Major’ Isitt commented upon the lack of a log-book chronicling the tests carried out with the machine. This, he said, would have helped greatly at the inquiry. In giving his finding, the Coroner commended the swimmers who were early on the scene after the crash for their efforts

in trying to rescue the imprisoned men.

Amendments Projected. Asked whether there was necessity for any rider which might help the authorities in controlling private flying, Major Isitt said that regulations were now being prepared as amendments to the Aviation Act. The causes of the accident as set out in the report of the inquiry were added to the Coroner's finding.