SWOOP LOW TO GROUND

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 10

SWOOP LOW TO GROUND

AEROPLANE STRIKES

BUS

NEWSPAPER MEN INJURED

MISHAP AT MOUNT COOK

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, May 3.

Flying-Officer F. Truman landed his Air Force Avro aeroplane at the Wigram aerodrome this afternoon without one of the landing wheels and without'part of his left tail plane. These he had lost at the new aerodrome at "Mount Cook, where he was present at the official- opening today. Flying Officer Truman brought the machine down otherwise undamaged and his passenger and himself unhurt, a very skilful feat of flying.1

The wheel and tail plane were lost in a mishap at Mount Cook in which two other men were not so fortunate. After the official opening ceremony, Flying-Officer Truman took off, with Mr. Harry Wigley. son of the managing director of the Mount Cook Tourist Company, as a passenger, to give an exhibition of aerobatics. At an altitude between 3000 and 4000 feet he commenced inverted flying, rolling and looping. Then he dived from about 2000 feet and swooped over the aerodrome very close to the ground. He turned and dived down the valley again, swooping low, greatly to the alarm and consternation of spectators. In a moment the undercarriage of the machine struck a parked motorbus, shearing through the roof, shattering the glass, and tearing the sheet metal as if it were paper. One wheel of the undercarriage of the aeroplane and part'of the left tail plane were torn off. A wheel was at once taken out into the flying field and shown to the men in the aeroplane. The pilot flew low for a moment as if undecided what to do, then pointed in the direction of Christchurch and flew to Wigram. The two men injured were Mr. H. Max Whatman,' a "Star-Sun" reporter, and Mr. Reginald N. Downes, chief reporter of the "Timaru Herald." They were sitting in the bus which the aeroplane struck. Mr. Whatman suffered severe shock and was cut by flying glass. His spectacles were smashed but his eyes escaped injury. Mr. Downes was also cut and suffered shock, but not so seriously.

Mr. Whatman was brought to Christchurch by another aeroplane for medical attention.