AEROPLANES COLLIDE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 123, 22 April 1927, Page 7

AEROPLANES COLLIDE

CRASH BURST INTO FLAMES

FOUR OCCUPANTS KILLED.

TRAGEDY DURING ROYAL . WELCOME.

(By Electric Telegraph,—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, April 21.

As the Royal procession was entering the grounds of Federal Government House two aeroplanes. which were participating in an aerial welcome to the Royal visitors collided. Both crashed to the ground, killing the four occupants. The victims were Harry Thornton, o£ the Citizen’s Air Force, Lieut. Robert Dines, Flight-Sergeant Hay, and Mechanic Ramsden. The last three were members of the Australian Air Force. :

The ’planes were over the police barracks at St. Kilda Road, and thousands of horrified spectators saw the lower ’plane rise and strike the one above it. a little forward of the tail. The crash could be heard a mile away. Both machines were smashed immediately and burst into flames. One was almost broken in halves and hurtled to the ground. Each aeroplane carried a pilot and an observer. One machine fell in Aitkeji Street. The bodies of both men were strapped ,to the seats of the machine. In such a mass of flames it was impossible to get the bodies out. Crowds rushed to the scene, but the police cleared them away, and then infantrymen formed a cordon, keeping the crowds back.

It was a horrifying scene. Women screamed and fainted as the blazing aeroplane crashed to the ground, smashing the occupants’ bodies to a pulp. The other aeroplane fell on top of the Postal Department’s garage, and the flames from the burning machine set fire to the building. The aeroplane came through the roof like a thunderbolt, and shortly afterwards there was a terrific explosion, probably caused by the bursting of the petrol tank, and the garage then burst into flames Heroic efforts were made to get to the imprisoned airmen, but the flames were too fierce, and when the outbreak was finally subdued the bodies were unrecognisable. An eye-witness states that the trouble appeared-to be caused by the rear aeroplane propeller striking the rear of the other machine. The machines were flying close together, one rising rapidly, the bther apparently about to descend. The upper' machine suddenly seemed to drop and strike the lower one. There was a loud report. A cloud of smoke burst from the lower one and in an instant, both craft were spinning with terrific force to the ground. An official statement says that the two machines collided at a height of 300 feet and crashed.

The machines belonged to number one squadron, and were sent up when the Duke left the Renown in the Royal barge. All pilots were ordered not to stunt and to fly at a height sufficient to enable them to glide to a landing in case of accidents.—Press Association.