Fatal Nose Dive

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 47, 26 February 1936, Page 4

Fatal Nose Dive

Pilot Killed When Bomber Crashes

MISHAP DURING REFRESHER COURSE

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. When his aeroplane crashed into the sandy shore of Lake Ellesmere through failing to come out of a dive from about 1000 feet during target practice, Flying Officer Graham M. Owen, aged 26, of Owen's road Epsom, Auckland, received severe head injuries and died in Christchurch Hospital at 2 o’clock this afternoon one ,kour after admission. The machine, a Bristol fighter, owmed by the New Zealand Air Force, was ruined beyond repair, the engine being the only substantial part salvaged. Owen was the only occupier of the aeroplane. He was a member of No. 1 A.G. Squadron of the New. Zealand territorial Air Force which draws its personnel mainly from Auckland. The squadion began a ten days' refresher course at Wigram a week ago and today the squadron Hew in seven aeroplanes to carry out machine-gun practice from the air on the north side of Lake Ellesmere. A bombing target was placed on the shore and Owen swooped down from a height of 1000 feet to pump shots into it but instead of the machine coming out of the dive at 200 feet, it failed to straighten out and dived nose first into the sandy mud and finally came to rest about 45 yards from where it fir t struck. The under carriage was ripped off and the aeroplane turned over on its back and somersaulted again. Owen had not fired a shot. He was lifted unconscious from the aeroplane and taken to hospital. It appears that too late the pilot attempted to straighten the machine from its dive for when it landed it scooped out in the earth a hole two feet deep and two yards long. The nose was buried in the sand. One theory is that Flying Officer Owen, with all his attention concentrated on adjusting the gun sights from his scat : n front of the aeroplane, overlooked the uprise of the earth towards him until it was too late. The speed of the aeroplane when it landed was estimated at oeuveen 50 and 60 miles an hour. After the accident the target was moved 100 yards along the uettea anti other officers continued the practice. There were at least two eye-witnesses of the accident, officers who were on range duty near the target. It was one of four Bristol lighters at the aerodrome. The type was designed in 1017 and this machine had been in commission at Wigram for about eight years, having been in use for some years before that. It is said to have been in first-class flying condition. An inquest on Owen will open tomorrow and the circumstances of the accident will be considered by a court of inquiry to be ordered by (he Director of Air Services. Promising Pilot AUCKLAND, Last Night. Ihe victim of the Wigram aerodrome fatality is Flying Officer Graham Mackcilar Owen, aged 25. He was the eldes-t son of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Owen, of Epsom, and was always keenly interested in aviation. He joined the Auckland Aero Club in July, 1629, qualifying for his A license in January', 1950. He was then only 17 years of age and one of two youngest qualified pilots in the Dominion. His instructor, lan Keith, said at the time that he was a particularly apt pupil and had qualified after only 7£- hours’ dual flying. Owen was prominent in club flying and last year he w r on the CoryWright trophy in a bombing competition. He had been leader of the winning team in the formation flying contest for the Thorne trophy. A popular member of No. 1 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, New Zealand Territorial Air Force, Owen was promoted from the rank of pilot-officer to that of flyingofficer in August, 1935. He was studying this year for his flight-lieutenancy. Deceased wms born in Auckland, being educated at Auckland Grammar School.