LOST IN CLOUDS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 30, 29 October 1932, Page 12

LOST IN CLOUDS

Wreck of Aeroplane EVIDENCE AT INQUEST Safer Route Not Taken Inquiries were made yesterday by the Coroner, Mr. E. Gilbertson, J.P., into the circumstances of the deaths of Mr. Francis Gresser and Mr. George Bourne Steven King, who were killed in the flying fatality ou Tuesday last. The Coroner’s verdict, after several witnesses had been heard, was that the men had died from fatal injuries received when their aeroplane struck a hill through visibility being obscured by foggy atmospheric conditions. Squadron-Leader Stedman’s evidence was concerned mainly with the search for the plane and its discovery on a lonely hill-top to the west of Tawa Flat. The Coroner: Was it a dual control machine?—“Yes.” Was it likely that King would interfere with the controls? —“No.” ’ Senior-Sergeant Caldwell: Are you in a position to say what the cause of the accident was?—“Well, I think it is quite obvious that he got into the clouds, lost his way and ran into the hill. . . It is pretty evident from the time that they crashed and the amount of benzine that they had, that they had plenty of fuel left.” No Need to Enter Clouds. The Coroner: “You don’t think Gresser was careless? —“No I wouldn’t say he was careless. But there was no necessity for him to get into the clouds. Why he did so, we don’t know.” Mr. G. Powles, who appeared for the Wellington Aero Club, put several questions to the witness about the advice which had been given to the pilot by telephone. Mr. Powles explained to the Coroner that the officials of the club always gave the best possible advice to members who telephoned for information on weather and courses. Mr. Powles (to witness).' Do you think that Gresser took the right course? —“Well under the circumstances he took the wrong course. As a matter of fact he took the course that we use generally when coming into Wellington in good weather.” An Error of Judgment. You think he committed an error of judgment in not crossing over higher up into the Hutt Valley?—“Yes.” Constable Ogilvie, of Johnsonville, described the finding and removel of the bodies. Both men were very extensively injured. Captain G. B. Bolt, pilot engineer to the Wellington Aero Club, said that he had made a trip from New Plymouth with three passengers on Tuesday morning last. He landed at Wanganui, and met Mr. Gresser, who was waiting there for a better weather report. He told Mr. Gresser to wait at Palmerston North until he himself had reached Wellington, and had telephoned him about the weather. This Captain Bolt did, telling Mr. Gresser that he had got through quite easily by coming over the Moonshine saddle Into the Hutt Valley. Captain Bolt gave him full directions and alternative routes to pursue should difficulties be met with. Mr. Powles: Those were instructions?—“Yes.” Mr. Powles told the Coroner that under the rules of the club, its members were bound to follow meticulously any instructions given by the club’s experienced officers. Captain Bolt said that he had told Mr. Gresser that if he got into difficulties he should return to Levin, where there was an aerodrome. High Speed at Time of Crash. Captain Bolt thought that the speed of the plane at the time of the crash would probably have been more than 100 miles an hour. The air speed indicator had stopped at 106 m.p.h., and with a following wind the speed might have been as high as 120 m.p.h. The Coroner: At that rate it would crumble everything up? There would be no hope at all?—“Oh, no.” And they would be killed Instantly? —"Yes.” Club Not To Blame. When Mr. Powles mentioned that the club would like to have called as a witness Squadron-Leader Wilkes, the Coroner said that he himself was satisfied that the club had not been in any way to blame for the accident. “It seems to me,” he said, “that the man was an embryo flier, did not know enough, and lost his head.” Mr. A. W. Nesbit, secretary of the Wellington Aero Club, also gave evidence. Before giving his finding, the Coroner said that it was fairly evident that Mr. Gresser had “taken a chance." He should have followed the instructions given to him and taken the eastern route from Palmerston North to the Hutt Valley. Instead of that he had got into trouble and the machine had charged the hill at a terrific rate. Death had undoubtedly been instantaneous. “I think the Aero Club have done all in their power,” said the Coroner.