TIBER MOTH CRUSHES

Evening Star, Issue 23864, 19 April 1941, Page 8

TIBER MOTH CRUSHES

PLUNGE INTO RANGITOTO CHANNEL PILOT OFFICER KILLED GALLANT RESCUE OF COMPANION [Feu United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 18. One officer lost his life and another escaped with minor injuries when a Tiger Moth aeroplane from the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Hobsonville crashed into the Rangitoto Channel near Castor Bay this afternoon. The survivor was brought ashore by a party of men of the Royal New Zealand Artillery who had seen the crash and who swam nearly half a mile in all to the flyers’ assistance The victims were:— —Killed.— PILOT-OFFICER BERTRAND WILLIAM BUTLER, aged 25, single, a son of Mr J. P. Butler, of Invercargill. —lnjured. Pilot-officer Maurice H. Hoy, aged 21, single, a sou of Mr H. Hoy, of Roseueath, Wellington. He suffered shock and abrasions, and after being attended by a doctor he returned to his station. He has a brother serving with tho Air Force at Whenuapai, Both officers had recently been transferred to Hobsonville, where they were to begin an instructor’s course ou Monday. They were in one of the station aircraft fitted with dual controls, and it is not definitely known which of tho two officers was actually flying the machine at the time of the accident. The body of Pilot-officer Butler was found and brought to Auckland, and the wrecked machine was dragged ashore on to tho beach by a naval patty. THE RESCUE. Tho prompt rescue of Pilot-officer Hoy was made by Gunners O’Meara, Hipkins, and Mansell, all of the Royal Artillery, assisted by a Maori, Mr W. Chelford, of Castor Bay, who was working in tho vicinity. From the top of steep cliffs overlooking tho channel they had seen the aeroplane crash, and they also saw Pilot-officer Hoy climb from tlie wrecked machine and grip tho tail, which was protruding from the water. The aircraft sank rapidly, however, leaving the survivor struggling in tho water in his heavy flying clothes and attempting to swim about 400yds to the shore. Hurriedly climbing down the cliff to a small beach, Gunners O’Meara and Hipkins threw off their clothes and swam out to Pilot-officer Hoy. They supported him and were later joined by Gunner Mansell and Mr Chelford, who had brought a rope. The five men came ashore together without great difficulty, and without using the rope. Pilot-officer Hoy was attended by an Army doctor,who had been called, and was later taken to Hobsonville. Pilotofficer Butler is believed to have been caught in the machine when the wings buckled under the impact of the crash. Naval launches were quickly ou tho scene, and Pilot-officer Butler’s body was later recovered with the wrecked machine. The accident and the subsequent rescue were witnessed by many people living in the neighbourhood. They spoke highly of the prompt manner in which those nearest went to the flyers’ assista nee. Pilot-officer Butler was born in Invercargill and educated at tho Marist Brothers’ School there and at the Sacred Heart College, Auckland. He joined the Air Force last year and was trained at Levin, Dunedin, and Blenheim, being transferred to Hobsonville less than a fortnight ago.