IN THE AIR

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1938, Page 5

IN THE AIR

’PLANE CRASHES HAWKES BAY MACHINE. (Per Press Association--Copyright), HASTINGS, May 24. The last aeroplane owned by the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club was put out of commission today when making \a forced landing on the Napier aerodrome at 4,10 p.m., after the engine failed. The engine failed when the plane was at a height of 200 feet. NTTcher the pilot (P. Barron) nor his passenger (P. Jessop) was injured, although the machine was extensively damaged. The machine which had arrived from Hastings earlier in the afternoon, took off on a return journey, using the south west-‘runway, and itwas making a left hand circuit at a height of 200 feet. Pilot Barron made a cross-wind landing, but as the wheels touched the ground, a mishap occurred and his machine swung round on the left wheel, coming to rest facing in the opposite direction to that in which it had come in. The lower wings and the upper starboard wing were twisted out of shape. The Longerons, running the. length of the plane, were broken in front of the front cockpit, and the propeller tips were smashed off. One of the undercarriage struts came through t«io fioor of the front cockpit and the passenger had a fortunate escape from injury. Pilot Barron, who has approximately 100 hours flying to his credit, is a capable pilot, and those who saw the accident said that lie Avas maxing a normal cross, wind landing at the time that the undercarriage collapsed. The usual 24 hourly inspection of the plane by Ground Engineer F. Bow.ver was made- at 5 p.m. on Monday, Avlien there were no apparent defects in the machine. The engine was run up twice this morning, and, up to the time of the mishap it Avas running well. The machine, “W.A.D.Q.” was dismantled after the accident and Avas brought to Hastings on a motor lorry to-night. The machine is about four years old and it did valuable Avork during the recent floods. Until the Porterfield monoplane which lia.s been assembled at Hastings, is granted a certificate of airwortliiness, the club will be unable to continue its flying activities. This is the third aeroplane owned by the club which has been badly damaged within the last six weeks.