AIRMAN KILLED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22353, 26 February 1936, Page 12

AIRMAN KILLED

AUCKLAND OFFICER DIVING AT TARGET MACHINE-GUN PRACTICE SWOOP FKOM 1000 FEET CONTROL NOT REGAINED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesdav When his aeroplane crashed into the sandy shore of Lake Ellesmere through failing to come out of a dive from about 1000 ft. during target practice, FlyingOfficer Graham MacKollar Owen, aged 23, of Owen's Road, Epsom, Auckland, received severe head injuries and died in the Christchurch Hospital at two o'clock this afternoon, ono hour after his, admission. The machine, a Bristol Fighter, belonging to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was damaged beyond repair, the engine being the only substantial part salvaged. Mr. Owen was the only occupant of the aeroplane. He was a member of No. 1 (Army Co-operation) Squadron of the New Zealand Territorial Air Force, which draws its personnel mainly from Auckland. The squadron began a ten days' refresher course at Wigram Aerodrome a week ago. Swoop at Target The squadron flew to-day in seven aeroplanes to carry out machine-gun practice from the air on the north side of Lake Ellesmere. A bombing target was placed on the shore and Mr. Owen swooped down from a height of 1000 ft. to pump shots into it, but instead of the machine coming out of the dive at 200 ft. it failed to straighten out, and dived nose first into the sandy mud, finally coming to rest about 45 yards from where it first struck. The undercarriage was ripped off. The aeroplane turned over on its back and somersaulted again. Mr. Owen had not fired a shot. He was lifted unconscious from the aeroplane and taken to hospital. Effort to Straighten Out It appears that too late the pilot attempted to straighten the machine from its dive, for when it landed it scooped out in the earth a hole two feet deep and two yards long, and the nose was buried in the sand. One theory is that Mr. Owen, with all his attention concentrated on adjusting the gun-sights from his seat in front of the machine, overlooked the uprush of the earth toward him until it was too late. After the accident the target was moved 100 yards along the beach and the other officers, in accordance with Air Force tradition, continued the practice. There were at least two eye-wit-nesses of the accident, these being officers who were on range duty near the target. Inquiry to be Held The machine was one of the four Bristol fighters at the aerodrome. The type was designed in 1917, and this machine had been in commission at Wigram aerodrome for about eight years, having ■ been in use for some years before that. It is said to have been in first-class flying condition. The inquest will open to-morrow, and the circumstances of the accident will be considered by a Court of Inquiry to be ordered by the Director of Air Services, Wing-Commander T. M. Wilkes Mr. Owen was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Owen, of 36 Owen's Road, Epsom. Always keenly interested in aviation, he joined the Auckland Aero Club in July, 1929, qualifying for his A licence in January, 1930. He was then only 17 years of age and one of the two youngest qualified pilots in the Dominion. His instructor, Mr. Lan Keith, said at the time that he was a particularly apt pupil and had qualified after only 7j hours' dual flying. Mr. Owen was prominent in club flying and last year he won the CoryWright Trophy in a bombing competition. He had been leader of the winning team in a formation flying contest for the Thofne Trophy. So keenly was he interested in aviation that he lectured to boys under the care of the Community Sunshine Association and took up promising pupils on occasional flights. A popular member of the No. 1 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, New Zealand Territorial Air Force, Mr. Owen was promoted from the rank of pilot-officer to tlmt of living-officer in August, 1933. He was studying this year for a flight-lieutenancy. Mr. Owen was born in Auckland, being educated at the Auckland Grammar School. On passing his matriculation examination he joined the staff of the New Zealand Insurance Company. Limited. He was a member of the Grammar Old Boys' Rugby Football Club. Mr. Owen will be accorded a military funeral in Auckland.