MISHAP IN AIR RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20823, 16 March 1931, Page 8

MISHAP IN AIR RACE.

CONTESTANTS TOUCH AT SPEED.

PILOTS FORCED TO LAND.

ESCAPE FROM INJURY.

DAMAGE DONE TO MACHINES.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MASTERTON, Sunday.

An accident occurred in the chief event of the day, the race for the New Zealand Herald Cup, at the official North Island air pageant. The raco was over a course of 20 miles. Only one pilot from each club was allowed to compete in this event. The competitors were Messrs. J. J. Busch (Canterbury), R. V. Boys (Hawke's Bay), C. M. Duthie (Wellington), Eric Holdaway (Marlborough), A. V. Jury (Wairarapa) and P. C. Lewis (Auckland).

Heats were decided in the morning, leaving Messrs. Boys, Lewis, Duthie and Jury to contest the final in the afternoon. The machines got away well, and at the end of the first lap little separated them. Duthie was leading Lewis, who was closely followed by Boys and Jury. During the final lap on the last straight, after turning near the Waingawa freezing works, two of the machines, while travelling at about 100 miles an hour, and at a height of about 200 ft., touched each other.

From all accounts it appears that Mr. Boys was passing Mr. Lewis when the lattcr's lower wing tip touched the fuselage of the other aeroplane behind the cockpit. At the same time Mr. Lewis' propeller cut into the upper and lower loft wing of Mr. Boys' machine, the propeller being splintered.

Mr. Lewis' machine then went into a wide spiral, from which the pilot attempted •to straighten out, but he hit a fence and his machine buried its nose in the ground and plunged completely over. The nose of the aeroplane was badly crumpled, and the machine generally damaged. It is reported that Mr. Boys shut off his engine and opened up again to avoid some high tension wires; and by skilful handling landed in a field of mangolds on the oilier side of the river, slightly damaging the under-carriage in the process. One wing was torn extensively by the propeller of the other machine, but the aeroplane was not very seriously damaged. Mr. Boys was flying in the Otago Club's machine. Both were Moths. The pilots had a remarkable escape from severe injury, Mr. Lewis only receiving a cut on the nose and a severe shaking. It is understood that an inquiry will be held.

The race was won by Mr. Duthie, Mr. Jury being second.