FATAL PLANE CRASH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 160, 22 June 1935, Page 8

FATAL PLANE CRASH

Witnesses’ Story of Tragedy CAUSE OF SMASH UNKNOWN By Telegraph—Press Association. HOKITIKA, June 21. In connection with the Waiho tragedy, eye-witnesses report that the aeroplane circled round the landing ground, swung along the runway low down and then climbed and came back towards the landing place. When it banked to turn, round it seemed to slip sideways towards the ground. Just before it struck it straightened. At this moment the engine appeared to accelerate and then the machine crashed, striking the fence with the left wing a quarter of a mile from the landing ground. Smoke came from the tail and Hames enveloped the whole plane. The engine did not stop till the crash. When helpers arrived the tail was in its normal position on the grouua. The pilot, with his clothes afire, got. out and was attempting to rescue the passenger. As the plane was totally enveloped in flames, nothing could be done to extricate the body until some lime afterwards. The inquest was reopened tins aftermon to take tho evidence of Wigram ■ illieials. Pilot Somerset Thomas, R.N.Z.A.F., saw the remains of the aeroplane. It was completely destroyed by tire, except the iron work. Only one wheel was left, lie saw tho body, which had been removed. In his opinion death must have been instantaneous. Frederick William Thornton, leading

aircraftsman nt the Wigram aerodrome, examined the remains of tho machine and found that the elevator and ruddet controls were still intact, though hoisted, no pins having become unfastened. One inter-plane strut was still intact. The greater part of the engine had incited away. The remainder was a mass of twisted ironwork. Nothing was left of the wings or woodwork. There was nothing to show whether the aileron control was in order at tho time of tho crash or otherwise. Ho could not say what was the cause of the accident.