Flying Mishap

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 119, 4 May 1936, Page 9

Flying Mishap

PLANE HITS BL'S Skilful Landing Made On One Wheel TWO REPORTERS HURT By Telegraph—Press Ass oeiation CHRISTCHURCH. May 3. Flying-Officer F. Truman landed his Air Force Avro aeroplane at Wigram Aerodrome thia afternoon without one of the landing wheels and without part of his left tail plane. These he had lost at the new aerodrome at Mount Cook, where he had been present at the official opening to-day. Flying-Offi-cer Truman brought his machine down otherwise undamaged, and his passenger and himself unhurt—a very skilful feat of flying. The wheel and tail plane were lost in a mishap at Mount Cook, in which two other men were not so fortunate. After the official opening ceremony FlyingOfficer Truman took off with Mr Harry Wigley, son of the managing director of the Mount Cook Tourist Company as a passenger, to give an exhibition of aerobatics at an altitude of between 3000 and 4000 feet. He commenced inverted flying, rolling and looping. Then the machine dived from about 2000 feet and swooped Over the aerodrome very close to the ground. It turned and dived down the valley again, swooping low, greatly to the alarm and consternation of the spectators. In a moment the undercarriage of the machine struck a parked motor bus, shearing through the roof and shattering glass and tearing the sheet metal as if it were paper. The impact tore off one wheel of the undercarriage of the aeroplane, and part of the left tail plane.

The wheel was at once taken out into the flying field and shown to the men in the aeroplane. The pilot flew low for a moment as if undecided what to do, then pointed in the direction of Christchurch and flew to Wigram. The two men injured were: MR. H. MAX WHATMAN, a “StarSun” reporter. MR. REGINALD N. DOWNES, chief reporter of the Timaru “Herald.” They were sitting in the bus which the aeroplane struck. Mr Whatman was severely shocked and cut by broken glass. His spectacles were smashed, but his eyes escaped injury. Mr Downes was also cut and shocked, but not no seriously. Mr Whatman was brought to Christehureh by another aeroplane for medical attention.