FATAL NOSE DIVE

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 30 January 1933, Page 4

FATAL NOSE DIVE

’Plane Crashes at Pihama PASSENGER KILLED OUTRIGHT Hawera Club Pilot Injured SUBDEN SPIN FROM LOW HEIGHT AIACHINE BADLY WRECKED. Apparently as the result of losing flying speed at a low altitude, the Western Federated (N. 1.) Flying Club’s Moth ’plane Z.K.— A C H went into a vertical nose dive and crashed into a paddock on the Patiki Road, Pihama, about 4.30 yesterday afternoon. A passenger, Mr Guy Putt, aged 18, of Otakeho, was killed instantly, and the pilot, Mr Brian Davies, of Otakeho, was admitted to the Hawera Hospital suffering from concussion, a broken nose and a severe cut on the left side of the forehead. His condition to-day was stated to be satisfactory*

The machine was badly wrecked, the nose being buriedi < two feet in the ground. Beth wings and the undercarriage were shattered and 1 the engine was pushed back into the passenger’s cockpit, while the pilot’s cockpit was also damaged, considerable difficulty being experienced in dragging Davies clear. Air Putt was the second son of Air and Airs E. R. Putt, Otakeho, and was well-known in the district, especially In tennis and hockey circles. Davies, who has made several passenger flights, is a member of the Hawera Aero -Club, and resides with his parents at Otakeho. He is 18 years of age. He received the endorsement of liis license enabling him to carry passengers during the recent visit to New Plymouth of SquadronLeader T. Al. Wilkes, Director of Aviation, on the occasion of the Southern Cross flight. The ’plane, which had' been stationed at Hawera, loft Dunlop Field at 3.30, it being Davies’ intention to fly -to Opunake and back after having taken' another passenger for a lengthy flight. Failier in the afternoon Alii Brian Nicholas had flown the ’plane over Alt. Egmont, it then being in perfect OTder. Apparently the.only actual eye-wit-nesses of the accident were,Mr -E. S. Forsyth and family, on whose farm the ’plane crashed. Air Forsyth states that the ’plane circled twice over his house at a low altitude and appeared about to make a third turn when it suddenly -spun into a vertical nose dive to the ground after appearing to waver. Air Forsyth was on the scene within a minute or two of the crash, and was endeavouring to extricate the pilot front the wreckage when Air T P Reniton, who was visiting Air A 'McHannigan’s farm near-by, arrived and gave assistance Davies was semi-conscious, but the passenger had obviously been killed) outright, apparently through his head' striking the engine bloc-lc Mr Davies was conveyed to- Air Forsyth’s residence and given" lirst aid, later being driven by Air Renton to the Hawera Hospital. Air Renton’s attention was drawn to the mishap by Arthur AleHaninigan, aged 11, who said he saw the machine dip over a "haystack into an' adjoining paddock Climbing on to the roof of a shed the lad saw tho tail of (the ’-plane pointing up in the air and informed Air Renton that there' had been an accident

Mr Brian Haybittle, captain of the Hawera Aero -Club, who was in charge of flying at Dunlop Field during the day, was notified of the accident by the Opunakc police. He immediately left for the scene and supervised the clearing of the wreckage. Other Hawera Ohvb officials present shortly after the accident were the president (Dr W. F. •Buist) and the secretary (‘Mr W. G. Walklev). Late last evening the ’.plane was dismantled by Messrs. Haybittle and Nicholas and taken, to the New Plymouth aerodrome by lorry An inquest was opened at Opunake this morning before the district coroner (Mr R. S. Sage). After formal evidence of identfication and medical evidence had been heard the inquiry was adjourned.