A JUMP TO DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20863, 4 May 1931, Page 8

A JUMP TO DEATH.

PARACHUTIST KILLED. GEAR FAILS TO OPEN. FALL FROM 5400 FEET. SHOCKING OAMARU FATALITY. [EY TE LEG "RAP II. —OWN CORK ESTONDENT. ] OAMARU, Sunday. While performing what was advertised as a "spectacular death-defying stunt" before a crowd of fourteen hundred persons in a large paddock near the racecourse in aid of the funds of the Aero Club yesterday afternoon, the Norwegian parachutist-, Lieutenant Haakon Q'viller, aged about 35, crashed to death from an aeroplane piloted by Captain White, at an altitude of 5400 ft. The parachute failed to open.

Tho programme opened with air stunting by Captain White and when Lieutenant Q'viller entered the machine Captain White circled five times to gain height. When at an altitude of 5400 ft., Lieutenant Q'viller said to the pilot:—"I think this one will be all right," and leaped clear of the aeroplane.

When the parachute failed to open the spectators did not realise they were witnessing a tragedy, but thought the delayed opening was part of the demonstration. As Lieutenant Q'viller neared the ground, however, with the parachute still closed, it became obvious that something was seriously wrong. A spectator in the field close to the spot where Lieutenant Q'viller dropped says he saw the parachutist frantically endeavouring to open the upper portion of the apparatus when within two hundred yards of the ground. He then appeared to lose consciousness or give up hope. His body struck the earth with a terrific thud about one mile from tho place where the aeroplane took off. Several of those among the spectators fainted. So great was the force of the fall from such a height that the thud was heard a considerable distance away and practically every bone in the parachutist's body was broken.

After Lieutenant Q'viller left the machine Captain White circled to see if everything was all right and was also deceived by the delayed opening. When he saw that a tragedy was inevitable he made a rapid and skilful landing close to the spot where the body lay and was one of the first to reach his dead comrade. Interviewed immediately after the tragedy, Captain White said this was the first time Lieutenant Q'viller had jumped from his machine. After lunch on Saturday the deceased opened the parachute and tested it thoroughly, taking one and three-quarter hours over the job. Captain White expected to see the parachute open 500 ft. after leaving the aeroplane. Upon examining the parachute after the accident he was of the opinion that the spinning of the body drew the cords together and tightened them.

THRILLING EXPERIENCES. DEAD PARACHUTIST'S CAREER. Lieutenant Q'viller arrived in Auckland from Australia in January in order to give a series of parachute demonstrations throughout the Dominion. A fall into the sea from a height of 10,000 ft., and a struggle in mid-air to release the container of a parachute while hurtling down from an aeroplane 2500 ft. above the ground, were only two of the many thrilling experiences he had during his career as a parachutist. While making a descent from a height of 10,000 ft. at Bondi, Sydney, on January 28, 1928, Lieutenant Q'viller was carried out to sea and descended in shark-infested waters six miles from tho coast. After being in the water for about an hour lie was picked up by the boat of a passing cargo steamer. The most exciting incident of his career was when lie jumped from an aeroplane at a height of 2500 ft., and the parachute, one of the early type manufactured in Germany, failed to open. In a flash he saw the position and managed to open the container and release the parachute. He had fallen 1500 ft. before the parachute opened. Lieutenant Q'viller entered the Norwegian Flying Corps in 1920, but an accident prevented him from becoming a pilot. He then began to experiment in parachute descents, and for the last 10 years had been exclusively engaged in this branch of aeronautics. His first descent in New Zealand was made at tho Auckland Aero Club's pageant on January 24, when ho provided the spectators with a thrilling exhibition of his skill. Since then ho had made many descents at tho various air pageants held throughout New Zealand.