FLIERS' FATE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22349, 21 February 1936, Page 11

FLIERS' FATE

FIVE LOSE LIVES CRASH NEAR SYDNEY DISCOVERY OF THE BODIES A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 20, 9.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 20 The worst fears for the five occupants of the Gannet aeroplane which crashed in flames near Campbelltown about 8 p.m. yesterday, were confirmed to-day. Searchers located the wreck of the machine and found the bodies of the victims. The dead are: — Mr. Jack Small, of Mascot aero drome, pilot. Mr. Frank Eagle, of Lane Cove, a suburb of Sydney. Mr. Oliver King, of Leeton, an orchardist. Mr. A. E. Sinfield and Mr. Charles Turner, jute merchants, of York Street, Sydney. A terrible spectacle was presented to the searchers. Two burned bodie3 were partly ejected from the wreckage, and two others were in the ashes. Mr. Eagle's body was 50 yards away. His skull and one were fractured. Apparently ho had died of injuries. Area Strewn With Wreckage The' area for 60 yards around was strewn with wreckage and wearing apparel. Several trees contained pieces of wearing apparel, and remnants of ties and towels. The aeroplane apparently had hit a tree. Parts of the machine were suspended in the branches and then fell into rough scrub country, three miles from Cordeaux dam, which is one of the city's reservoirs. Settlers in the vicinity of the dam give a graphic description of the events prior to the machine crashing in the dark. The aeroplane was distinctly heard overhead, the engine giving trouble and spluttering. The machine was losing altitude and then the crash was heard and a glare of fire seen. The fire burned for nearly two hours. Tops of Trees Cut Oft The ruin of the aeroplane was so complete that it seems impossible for the cause of the crash ever to be known. From the way in which the tops of trees had been cut off the course of the machine could be clearly followed up to tho trunk against which it crashed.

Boughs were cut off for about 40 yards in a perfectly straight line. The port wing of the machine had been ripped off at the first point of contact and it seems that the aeroplane rolled over before it was finally wrecked as the starboard wing was lying on the port side this morning. There were to have been five passengers in the aeroplane in addition to the pilot, but one passenger from Young was not picked up. Pilot's Flight Just Previously

Mr. Small had only been back from a flight from Broken Hill a few minutes when he undertook an emergency flight to Young to bring to Sydney four stranded passengers.

Mr. Eagle was a prominent business man and a director of Parbury Henty and Com pany. Messrs. Sinfield and Turner had been on a business trip to Narrandera.

The Gannet was built at Mascot by Wing-Commander Wackett for Broken Hill-Sydney Air Lines- It had a cruising speed of 135 miles an hour.

QUEENSLAND ACCIDENT ENGINE STALLS IN AIR TWO PEOPLE .BADLY INJURED (Received February 20, 9.5 p.m.) BRISBANE, Feb. 20 The pilot and a passenger in a Queensland Aero Club's Moth aeroplane were badly burned when the machine crashed at Toowoomba to-day, and burst into flames. The pilot, Mr. R. Parker, and the passenger, Mr. J. Poole, were taken to hospital in a serious condition, but hopes are held out for their recovery. The engine of the machine stalled after which it went into a tail spin.