MT. EGMONT TRAGEDY

Grey River Argus, 8 October 1934, Page 2

MT. EGMONT TRAGEDY

Inquest on Plane Victims (Per Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, October 6. An inquest into the aeroplane disaster on the slopes of Mount Egmont on Septembei 1 13, in which S. .1. Green, the pilot, and J. A. Austin, a photographer, both of New Plymouth, lost their lives, was opened before Mr. W. IL Woodward this morning. Dr. H. P. Grey, who was a member of the search party, testified that the death of both victims was instantaneous, due to head injuries. It was not necessary to undo the safety belts, as both were broken. Robert Burrows, of Kaimiro, a farmer and trapper, said that about 12.30 p.m. he heard a ’plane which seemed from the sound to be flying in a normal manner.

Soon afterward the engine seemed to be shut off for a few seconds and then restarted, when it misfired badly and back-fired. It seemed to back-fire for some time and then stop. Almost immediately afterward a crash was heard.

Witness’s son went to telephone the police from Kaimiro while he tried to find the ’plane, but failed before nightfall. He had not seen, the ’plane before the crash as he was in dense bush. Burrows was not sure of the, direction of the wind which was blowing at the time. The ’plane was considerably higher than usual for that locality. lan Keith, chief instructor for the Western Federated Aero Club, said he tested the machine on the morning ot the crash, and paid particular attention to the engine, which had been overhauled and checked again after a test. Green, before leaving with Austin on the photographic trip mentioned that he intended to fly at least 12,000 feet. Witness made special remarks to Green concerning flying too close to the mountain, and also about care in ■keeping the engine warm. Green said he had had one fright previously, caused by a down draught, and would always guard against that. Finally, Keith mentioned what to do in the event of engine trouble. The weather and flying conditions that day were good. Keith said he had flown past the mountain hundreds of times, in all kinds of weather, and had not met unusually bumpy condit ions. Keith was perfectly satisfied with, the condition of the machine. Green was a skilled pilot, who made trips before with Austin. lan Anderson, a mechanic, also gave evidence as to the perfect condition of the engine. Squadron-Leader L. M. Isitt, wh. ) examined the wreckage two days after the crash, said it was evident from the marks on the trees that the dive was south-west, with the possibility of a spin, but the effect on the path of the ’plane could not be calculated. The crash occurred on a steep hillside, with a grade of one in three. It appeared that the machine was in a right-hand vertical bank when the final tree was struck. AU the control cables of the ’plane were broken with the exception of the upper and right-hand elevator control cables. The wings were smashed beyond identification and instruments were sb badly damaged that nothing could be learned from them. The aircraft had apparently been well maintained. There was a. conflicting of evidence whether the pilot’s belt had been undone or was fastened. The engine was free of wreckage and the crankshaft turned over by hand. There was nothing to indicate engine failure which was not necessarily a cause of an accident though a contributing factor. The machine had been in good condition as far as the records indicated. He considered that a fair test had been given, the machine before leaving the aerodrome on the morning of the fatality and that it was in fit condition for a flight. Witness concluded that all that could be said was that the machine must have been out of control when it struck the ground. There were three causes of this:—(l) A pilot’s error of judgment; (2) structural failure or jambing of the controls; (3) incapacity of the pilot through fainting. The Coroner returned a verdict that the cause of death was injuries according to the medical evidence, but that there was insufficient evidence to determine the cause of the accident.