PLANE CRASHES AT MASTERTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LII, Issue 4727, 5 March 1932, Page 3

PLANE CRASHES AT MASTERTON.

PILOT’S NARROW ESCAPE. Mastcrton, (March 4. A sensational accident occurred at llood Aerodrome this morning when one of the Wiairarapa Aero Club’s aeroplanes crashed during tests, and burst into flames. The pilot, Flying-Officer ,J. Buckeridge, although strapped in the machine, succeeded in jumping clear, and escaped with slight burns to his legs. Tlie machine was completely destroyed. [Flying-Officer Buckeridge, who is pilot instructor to the Wairarapa Aero Clu\b, was testing the clubs two machines to select the fastest for racing purposes in preparation for the North Island air pageant at Wanganui on March 19. The accident occurred while he was testing one of the machines for the maximum speed at the ground level. He bad dived and was sweeping across the aerodrome into the wind with the machine a few feet above the ground. 'flic machine had reached the speed of a hundred miles an hour when it dropped a little and touched the ground. The nnder-earriage was immediately forced hack and the propeller splintered. The engine raced furiously and the machine burst, into flames. Flying-Officer Buckeridge was strapped in the cockpit, hut, fortunately, was not wearing shoulder harness. He quickly forced himself upward without attempting to unbuckle tlie waist belt, and jumped clear of tlie blazing machine. Those who witnessed the accident consider that his escape with no more serious injury than burns to his legs and minor bruises and abrasions was nothing short of miraculous. He was admitted to the Mastcrton Public Hospital, hut will probably he discharged to-morrow. Flying-Officer Buckeridge, who is a pilot of considerable experience, was concerned in a serious crash in Hawke’s Bay less than twelve months ago. On that occasion he lost an eye. The machine, ZIvAAM, was completely destroyed. It was a Government machine allocated to the club under the Government scheme for fostering civil aviation. It was the first machine in the Dominion to be allocated under this scheme and formerly (belonged to tlie Marlborough Aero Club. The accident to-dav is similar to an accident which occurred to a Government seaplane at Auckland about three year’s ago. On that occasion the seaplane was being tested out at sea level when it struck a wave and sank together with pilot and observer.