PLANES COLLIDE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 16 May 1941, Page 4

PLANES COLLIDE

ONE PRACTICALLY CUT IN HALF PILOT PRESUMED DEAD MACHINE FALLS INTO THE SEA rUnited Press Association! Wellington, This Day. A collision between two aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. station Blenheim, when practising formation flying, occurred about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon a short distance out to sea, between White Bluff and the Awatere river mouth, north-west of Cape Campbell. One plane, piloted by Leading Aircraftman Alec Haigh, whose father is Mr Arthur Haigh, Humphries street, Greytown, fell into the sea, but no trace could be found of the pilot and it must be presumed that he is dead, though floating wreckage was located shortly afterward by an R.N.Z.A.F. launch which happened to be proceeding through Cook Strait. The other machine, piloted by Leading Aircraftman John Joseph Fox, whose wife is Mrs Mary Patricia Fox, 19 Hankey street, Wellington made a forced landing on the beach and the pilot was admitted to the Wairau Hos- ! pital suffering from slight wounds and abrasions. His condition is not serious. No details are yet available, but it appears that two of three planes flying ! n formation collided and that the aircraft piloted by "Leading Aircraftman Haigh was practically cut rn half. A court of inquiry will be held.