AN AIRWOMAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20656, 30 August 1930, Page 13

AN AIRWOMAN'S DEATH.

CRASH WITH AN OFFICER*

DIVE FROM A LOOP. HUGE SHEETS OF FLAMES. [FROM curt OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] LONDON, July 25. Miss Gladys Grace, a daughter of RearAdmiral 11. E. Grace and a granddaughter of Dr. W. G. Grace, (he famous cricketer, and Lieutenant S. E. Spencer, a naval officer stationed at Gosport, were lulled in an aeroplane crash at Detling, a village two and a-half miles from Maidstone, on Sunday. Miss Grace, whose home is at A lvorstoke, had flown to Detling with Lieutenant Spencer to visit relatives. After 'aking off for the return journey just after four o'clock thoy looped tho loop and were repeating tho manoeuvre at a height of about 200 ft. when the machine nosodived and crashed. It burst into flames on striking the ground and tho two occupants were unable to escape Iroin tho blazing wreckage. People living near tho aerodrome rushed to the wrecked machine but were beaten back by the flames. An ambulance was quickly on the scene and tlin attendants were eventually able to drag the charred bodies from the wreckage.

Miss Grace, who was 26 years of ago, was an enthusiastic airwoman, and was regarded as an excellent pilot. Her father was captain of H.M.S. New Zealand during the early part of t he war.

Paymaster-Commander Roger E. Worthington, Miss Grace's brother-in-law, and his wife, who had accompanied Miss Grace and Lieutenant Spencer from Chatham to Detling, and Miss Worthington, were witnesses of the tragedy. Miss Worthington said afterwards: —

"I had driven Miss Grace and Lieutenant Spencer to the aerodrome and was entering my car to go back when tho machine crashed. They had just risen from tho aerodrome, which is really an emergency landing ground. They had circled round once, looped tho loop and were looping for a second time when tho machine suddenly dived to the ground. "They were not very high at the time. There was a terrific crash and lingo sheets of flame burst from the wrecked aeroplane and the terrific heat kept rne from getting near the aeroplane. In a few minutes it had burned out altogether. "Miss Grace and Lieutenant Spencer spent the afternoon with us. They flew over from Humble aerodrome, Hampshire, and arrived at our house about one o'clock. The crash happened about 4.15 p.m. They left us in great spirits and promised to come back shortly. It all happened so quickly. Tho one minute they were in tho air. Tho next thing they were in flames on the ground We did not have a chance t/j save them owing to tho tremendous flames."

An official of tho Hampshire Aeroplano Club said :

"The two (lew in Lieutenant Spencer's two-seater Moth aeroplane. Ho has been a private aeroplane owner for about nino months. ]soth possessed pilots' licences and were very keen fliers. Wo were expecting them back here later in the day, but flying conditions became so bad this afternoon that we tried to get through to the spot where wo thought they would land in Kent to warn them not to return to-day."

Miss Grace had a narrow escape from death in a crash at Ilamble in March, and her sister was injured in an air crash near tho same spot in August, 1928. 111 her last smash Miss Grace was taken to hospital with injuries to her head, legs and body. She made a loop and became involved in a spin. After falling 300 ft. she made a desperato attempt to right the machino but was unsuccessful.