AEROPLANE CRASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 15

AEROPLANE CRASH

DIVE FROM 5000 FEET CREWS LUCKY ESCAPE A Royal Australian Air Force Wapiti aeroplane was wrecked when it crashed during bombing practice at Point Cook, Victoria, recently. The pilot. Sergeant R. J. Parker, aged 26, and the gunner, Leading-Aircraftsman G. Helwig, aged 28, received only slight facial lacerations.

The machine was at a height of 5000 ft. above the Point Cook target ground when it dived. It failed to straighten out, and crashed with terrific force to the ground. The engine was wrenched from the fuselage, and •was flung more than 200 yards across the aerodrome. The under-carriage was completely wrecked. The escape of the two men from serious injury was due to the strong construction of the steel cockpits in the Wapiti machine. The injuries suffered by the occupants were caused when they were dashed against the sides of the cockpits. Sergeant Parker and Aircraftsman Helwig left the aerodrome to carry out bombing practice at the target ground at Point Cook. The machine climbed high into the air to attain the necessary altitude for its mimic attack, and then swooped down on the range. Mr. Helwig was standing by ready to release his bomb when lie realised that Mr. Parker was finding difficulty in straightening the machine out from the dive. Mr. Parker had just succeeded in lifting the nose of the aeroplane, when the wheels struck the ground. The machine ran along the ground for some distance at a si>eed of more than 150 miles an hour. The wheels were then torn off the fuselage and the Wapiti skidded along the ground for some distance. It did not, overturn, but the strain flung the engine from its mountings. Members of the Air Force who were on the aerodrome saw the crash and raced to the assistance of the occupants, but before they reached the aeroplane Messrs. Parker and Helwig had clambered from the cockpits.