AIR CRASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21454, 30 March 1933, Page 9

AIR CRASH

TiRRIBLE TRAGEDY

IS PEOPLE KILLED

LARGE BRITISH LINER

PLUNGE INTO FIELD

GEE AT MASS OF FLAME

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received March 29, 9.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 28 The Imperial Airways three-engined air liner City of Liverpool burst into flames this afternoon and fell into a field near Dixmude, Flanders. The twelve passengers and the crew of three wero burned to death. •The names of the killed are believed to be as. follows: Mr. Hugh Mcllrath, aged 21, and his sister, Miss Kay Mcllrath, aged 18, of Sydney. Mr. Rowsell, aged 68, a wealthy diamond merchant and director of nearly 40 companies. Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Dibdin. Mr. Rowland (possibly Sir John Bowland, an English manufacturer). Mr. Herbert Voss and Miss Voss. Miss Forester Thomson. Mr. Dearden. Mr. Thompson. Mr. ,Krieglinger. Mr. Lionel Leleu (pilot of the aeroplane). Messrs. E. P. Stubbs and W. R. Brown (engineer and wireless operator). " Nose-dived Like a Stone " The disaster occurred at 2.45 p.m. in perfect flying weather while tho machino was proceeding from Cologne and Brussels to Croydon. An eye-witness said the machine fell as if it had struck an air pocket, and nose-dived like a stone. It struck a ploughed field with terrific force and soon became a furnace, preventing tho villagers' attempts at rescue, though it was obvious that the victims were already dead. The pilot was completely burned to death in the cockpit. Another witness said that after the machine was wholly aflame it turned over several times and the pilot struggled to right it. Two women villagers of Essen, who were eye-witnesses of the disaster, state that they first saw smoke coming from iho back of the aeroplane, which seemed to burst into flame. As the machine went into a spin a wing luoke off. Pilot's Desperate Efforts The pilot made desperate efforts to regain control, but the giant machine turned over and over with a roar and struck the ground. The. debris speedily became a raging furnace. Miss Forester Thomson's body was found some distance away and attached to a parachute. Tho body of Mr. Herbert Voss,' who also attempted to parachute, was found close by. It has been ascertained that the machine ( burst into flames in mid-air apparently owing to an explosion in the fuel tank after leaving the aerodrome. The wreckage covered 600 square yards. Some of the bodies ware almost unrecognisable. It is believed that the pilot was killed when the engine exploded. The machine then fell 600 feet. Eight of the passengers were British, three German and one Belgian. Miss Voss had been to school in Cologne and was about to complete her education in England. One of the victims, Mr. Charles, Rowsell, was a mining director, who was taking his first air trip. Escape of Two Girls The detached wing of the aeroplane nearly killed two little girls, who were standing in the field where the machine fell. - According to press reports the petrol tarks exploded when the machine came down. It is stated that four bodies were found some distance away, indicating that they had jumped as the aeroplane fell. Three mail bags were found intact and were taken charge of by the local 1 authorities.

MAJOR BRACKLEY

The air liner hurtled earthwards a few moments after the wireless operator had sent a message: "All well." One account states that a man and woman attempted to parachute, but were either too excited to follow the instructions or were too near the ground when they jumped. The parachutes failed to fully open. Directly the flames permitted, the police, aided by villagers, sot to work to recover the bodies. Several charred forms can still be seen wedged in the twisted steel. Smoking Heap of Debris Gendarmerie are now guarding the scene, where only tlio skeleton framework remains. The field to-night is illuminated by the headlights of numerous motor-cars, many of them belonging to journalists. Nobody lias been allowed to take photographs of the debris, which is still smoking. Thirteen of tlio bodies will bo left in tlie wreckage pending an official inquiry. °nly those of Mr. Voss and Miss Thomson have been removed. Ihe air liner is of the Argosy type and the first to bo concerned in an accident involving injury to passengers. The pilot, "fr. Lionel Leleu, was born in 1897 and gaiued an infantry commission during the Ho joined Imperial Airways in 1926. «e had flown 4000 hours. Major f'.racklev, air superintendent of Imperial Airways, has flown to the scene *'ilh other officials. Belgian officials also have gone bv motor-car. Much of the u £B n go was recovered intact.. ,