FALL FROM PLANE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 23 September 1941, Page 6

FALL FROM PLANE

WIRELESS OPERATOR KILLED NEAR HAVELOCK INQUEST HELD An inquest into the death of George Herbert William Taylor, aged 20 years, wireless operator in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who was killed as the result of falling from a plane near Havelock on 11th September, was held at the Magistrate's Court to-day. The Coroner was Mr T. E. Maunsell. S.M. Senior-Sergeant Petersen represented the police. Charles Fulton Pattie, medical officer at the Nelson Air Force station, said that deceased suffered multiple injuries as a result of his impact with the ground. William Bernard Pettet. pilot officer, said that on the 11th September he was piloting the plane, which was also occupied by Roy Bert Anderson, in the, central cockpit, and Taylor, in the rear cockpit. The rear cockpit on the plane was a shallow one. Taylor had his parachute harness on when he entered the machine and had means of fastening himself in the plane. Witness did not know whether Taylor made use of the means provided for fastening himself. They were passing over Havelock Suburban when Anderson passed witness a note indicating that Taylor was not in the plane. Flying conditions had been bumpy and he could only assume that Taylor fell out as the result of one of the bad bumps. Deceased was a wireless operator and lived at the Aerodrome. Roy Bert Andersoti, Aircraftman 11., said that for some reason he looked back and saw that Taylor was not in his cockpit. He had not heard or seen anything. He looked back two or three minutes after a bad bump. Pie could only assume that Taylor was thrown out by a bad bump. When the plane left the ground to all appearances Taylor had strapped himself in. The Coroner commented that no doubt that aspect would be investigated at the service enquiry. Mr Maunsell returned a verdict that death was due to multiple injuries sustained while travelling in an Air Force plane.