AIR PAGEANT CRASH

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 20, 24 July 1934, Page 10

AIR PAGEANT CRASH

DEATH OF LORD MAYOR'S SON

VERDICT AT INQUEST

(Beceived July 24, 2 p.m.) LONDON, July 23. : In giving a verdict of accidental death in the. case of Squadron-Leader Collett, killed in a crash at the Hendon air pageant, the jury said that no hone was to blame. They were perfectlysatisfied . with ' the competence of the pilot. An Air Ministry official suggested that the pilot accidentally shut off the petrol cock with his knee. Precautions were being taken to prevent a recurrence' of such accidents. At the Royal Air Force pageant at Hendon ■ .en the regular and two auxiliary squadrons, totalling 18 aeroplanes, were flying in formation over a crowd of 60,000 an auxiliary twoseater Hawker Hart day bomber's engine suddenly cut out. The pilot swerved violently to avoid the spectators, went into a spiral dive, and nosedived into the ground on the far side of tlie aerodrome, in full sight of the spectators. The observer, SquadronLeader Collett, son of the Lord Mayor of London, was trapped in the cockpit and burnt :to death when the aeroplane caught fire. The .pilot escaped with slight injuries. . Squadron-Leader Collett's wife was attending the pageant. She collapsed and was escorted from the aerodrome. Mr. Collett served in the Air Force during. the_ war, and at the time of his death was commanding the - City of London squadron, to which the day bomber belonged.' '