GIANT PLANE CRASHES

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 21 January 1930, Page 5

GIANT PLANE CRASHES

SIXTEEN PEOPLE PERISH EXPLOSION AND FLAMES PINT’S DESPERATE EFFORTS. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegrapu Copyright.} NEW YORK, Jan. 19. Sixteen persons were killed when an laeioplane en route from Aguas c-'alientes to Mexico crashed in flames. The machine crashed 10 miles south of Oceanside, between Los Angeles and San Diego. An eye-witness said the motor was missing and the pilot made a desperate effort to reach the seashore. Everyone knew something was wrong 1 when the great plane, heavily laden, came careering along only 200 feet off the ground, wobbling like a wounded bird and with the motors missing. The pilot, however, could not quite make the beach. There was a crash and spray of earth as if a giant plough was tearing the countryside. A serond later there was an explosion and the wreckage burst into flanies. causing the worst single disaster in the history of American flying ' 1 The plane was a tri-motored Fokker known as the “race special,” which left the track at Aguas Calientes at 5.30 p.m., after the last race.

FURIOUS SQUALL

GREATEST STATES’ DISASTER

Received 12 noon, to-dav. NEW YORK, Jaii. 20

A report from San Cleonte, California states that a furious squall from the Pacific which arose so suddenly that the pilots had no chance to escape the danger was blamed to-day by the Air Board for' the crash of the commercial aeroplane causing the death of. the fourteen passengers and two pilots. It is the greatest tragedy in history of American commercial aviation. The aeroplane was returning from Aguas OalienteS, a Mexican watering place and was proceeding along the coast when the high wind pressed the machine to a low altitude, finally tipping the machine, and as it dropped to the ground the petrol tanks were displaced spraying the volatile liquid over the hot motors and causing an immediate explosion and fire.

ANOTHER FATEFUL ACCIDENT MACHINE DIVES INTO LAKE. NEW YORK. Jan. 19. Another fateful air accident occurred to-day near Palm Beach, Florida. William Lindley, a wealthy amateur flier, and two mechanics were killed when a new cabin seaplane fell into- Lake Worth.

It appeared that the wing folded back, putting the plane out of control. The engine was still roaring when the plane hit the water. Two passengers were seriously injured.