AVIATION TRAGEDIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21291, 19 September 1932, Page 9

AVIATION TRAGEDIES

CRASH IN AUSTRALIA

THREE AIRMEN KILLED MACHINE HITS MOUNTAIN FALL OF 1000 FEET VICTIMS WELL KNOWN By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received September 18, ]0.5 p.m.) SYDNEY. Sept. 18 One of the worst aeroplane accidents' in the history of flying in Australia occurred at 1.30 p.m. to-day on the north coast in the vicinity of Bangalow and Byron Bay. Three leading aviators were killed when a Puss Moth machine crashed from a height of 1000 ft. on to the siue of a mountain. The victims were: Captain Leslie liolden, Dr. G. R. Hamilton, and Mr. Ralph Virtue. The aeroplane, piloted by Mr. Virtue, left Sydney for Brisbane at 9 a.m. It encountered bad weather right up the coast, it being misty, squally and generally cloudy. It is thought that the pilot must have been flying blind owing to the bad weather. The machine emerged from the clouds in a mist and passed over a, ridge five miles beyond Bangalow. Apparently it struck a tree and one wing fell off. Desperate Effort to Right Machine A desperate attempt was made to right the machine, which turned a somersault into the valley and was wrecked. Captain Holden and Dr. Hamilton were in the air liner Canberra when the lost crew of the Southern Cross—the Kingsford Smith-Ulm party—wero found in North Western Australia a few years ago. Captain Holden afterwards was associated with the aerial party which searched for Anderson and Hitchcock, who perished in Central Australia while looking for the Southern Cross. •

Dr. Hamilton was an expert aerial photographer and Mr. Virtue an experienced pilot, employed by New England Airways, which conducts an aerial passenger and mail service between Sydney, Lismore and Brisbane, and owned the machine that crashed. Victims' Widows and Children Captain Holden and Dr. Hamilton had returned only a week ago from New Guinea., where they established aerial services to the goldfields. They had intended to return. Captain Holden was a pilot during the war and had a notable record. Since he took up civil aviation he had gained the reputation of being one of the most skilled pilots in Australia. He never had to make a forced landing in the strict sense of the term. He leaves a widow and three child- ' ren. Dr. Hamilton was a leading Sydney medical practitioner, but latterly had devoted considerable time and "money to aviation. He also leaves a widow and three children. ITALIAN VICTIMS MID-AIR COLLISION SEVEN DEATHS RESULT * (Received September 18, 5.5 p.m.) EOME, Sept. 17 Seven members of the Italian Air Force were killed in a mid-air collision between two flving-boats which crashed into the sea at Spezia. M<>st of the victims were drowned but a, launch party rescued one injured man. FRENCH PILOT KILLED ACCIDENT NEAR CROYDON ENGLISHMAN'S ESCAPE I (Received September IS, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 17 A freight aeroplane belonging to the French Air Union crashed near Hotel Harden, a few miles from Croydon, when the pilot was .'trying to find the airport in a fog. The pilot was killed and the mechanic injured. Two of nine Royal Air Force machines were flying in formation near Folkestone when they collided. One was wrecked. The pilot parachuted to the ground 5000 ft. below and was not hurt.