PARACHUTIST'S FALL
FATAL ERROR OF CORPORAL EAST
(United Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received 12th March, noon.)
LONDON, 11th March,
The dramatic story of an expert parachutist's fatal error when falling six thousand feet was revealed at the inquest on the late Corporal East. Air Force ollicers gave evidence that East was wrapped up in his work and wanted to make a long-dolayed drop of 3000 or 4000 feet before opening the -parachute. Permission was refused. When ho jumped f rom the aeroplane he fell 3000 feet in the usual slow spin head downward. Then developed a somersaulting for tlio remainder v of the doscent, until less than a hundred feet from the ground, when he was distinctly observed to release the parachute, which opened too late.- When falling head-first, tho parachutist sees the ground, and the opinion was expressed that the somersaulting affected East's judgment, and he thought he was further from the earth than ho. was.
His wife gave evidence that she was worried over the parachuting, to which East said: "It is always safety first with me. Don't be afraid."
A verdict of death hy misadventure was returned.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1927, Page 9
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189PARACHUTIST'S FALL Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1927, Page 9
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