AIR INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1938, Page 6

AIR INQUIRY

FURTHER EVIDENCE

DECISION RESERVED

Xhe inquiry, conducted by an aviation board consisting of Mr W. F. Stil-

well, S.M., Squadron-Leader H.B. Bur-

;, relt R.N.Z.A.F., and Commander A. G. , Genrahd, of Union Airways, Palmerston ■• North, into the air disaster near Rongo- ; tai Aerodrome,. early on the evening of December 23, when a passenger in ' the aeroplcne, Ridley Lenderyou El- : liott was killed, was concluded yesterday- afternoon, after further witnesses ■ had been called^ Decision was reserved. -,■.-., Dr. N. A. Foden appeared for the - Aviation Department and Mr. A. M. • Ongley for the pilot of the machine, "■ William Smillie, of Palmerston North. The aeroplane crashed on the Mira- ... mar Golf Links shortly; after leaving . Rongotai Aerodrome, en route for Palmereton North, at approximately 6.40 ■■ p.m. r'he machine was the Middle -. Districts Aero Club's Moth ZK-ABV. Roy Champion Kean, inspector of accidents continuing his evidence, said that a pilot in taking off was concerned in gaining height, and it was possible—in fact it was extremely likely ; —that hills would create in the pilot's mind an obstacle to be cleared. Due to the& hills blanking the clear horizon, %ere could be created in, the mind of a comparatively inexperienced pilot the wrong idea as to the altitude of the . machine. A pilot haying completed the turn and got the'-wind behind him, the ground speed would suddenly - iump to 80 to 85 miles ah hour, and - the pilot's natural tendency would be to case the control column back or to climb the machine and thereby re- • duce its seemingly high speed. A . down draft might be another factor ' influencing a pilot at. that corner of the aerodrome in the lee of the hills. This would create in the mind of the pilot the fact that he was not gaining height as quickly as he normally did, .. and this would cause him to again ease his control column back.

THE CIRCUIT SIGNAL. "The main <»ntributing factor to this accident, in my opinion, was the ' turn to the left contrary to the circuit signal then showing," said the ■ witness. After making the turn, he ■ would be under the influence of down currents of air from the hills and he would also be under the impression of •■•■ high air speed. The controls of the machine were definitely misused, otherwise the machine would not have been brought into that stalled condi--1 After .cross-examination by Mr. Ongley witness said to Dr. Foden that ar scheme under, which pilots from other aerodromes would be required to report to instructors at aerodromes they might be visiting would be a good one It would, however, be limited to holders of A licences and student pilots.. . Christopher Robert Hughes, ground engineer at Milson Aerodrome, Palmerstpn North, said he possessed A, B G, and D licences. He said that he -was not at the aerodrome when Elliott left for Wellington, although he knew, through a telephone communication that the flight was, going to take place. The machine had equipment • for night flying, with the exception of navigation lights and a dashboard light. He stated that Elliott was fully qualified to take the machine on. the ■ flight, although he did not know whether Elliott knew the Rohgotai circuit rules. , „ Dr. Foden briefly summed up. the ' case for the Air Department, emphasising mainly the points brought to light

in the evidence of Mr. Kean. He also mentioned that the question of costs would possibly have to be considered. Mr. Ongley stated that although Smillie had made a breach of the airport rules in that he had not noticed the circuit turn, this was under the circumstances something that even a far more experienced pilot would have overlooked.

The board will make its recommendations to the Minister in Charge of Aviation.