FALL INTO HARBOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22974, 28 February 1938, Page 10

FALL INTO HARBOUR

AIR BASE ACCIDENT | PILOT SERIOUSLY HURT SWIFT LAUNCH RESCUE A newly-assembled Tiger Moth training aeropljM l6 crashed into the harbour on it« first test flight on Saturday morning, l an( l the pilot, Flight-Lieut-enant Arith° n y G. Lester, officer commanding Hohsonville Air Base, suffered severe i ea£ l injuries. Mr. Lester, who was flying solo, scrambled clear of the aeroplane, but was so weakened by his injuries that he was beginning to sink wlieiv' he was dragged on board a private launch which had dashed to the r o.scU p - His condition last night was Eert?usjfr. Lester. took off from Hobsonville atjftl.3o, and was gaining height quite normally when the nose of the machine suddenly fell, and the aeroplane dived jhto the water in mid-channel. The accident occurred about 100 yds. from the air base wharf, in full view of the horrified officers and men who were watching the machine's first performance. Sound of Splintering One of those' who saw the accident was Mr. A. J. Codings, of St. Mary's Bay. He had just brought the motorboat Paikea' alongside the base landing steps and was stopping the engine when one of his companions, who was completing the tying up, called, "Look at that aeroplane.V Air. Codings said he swung round at the wheel and saw the machine, a few hundred feet up, diving at a very steep angle, its wings were at first quivering, but began to steady. The engine was roaring. With a sharp whining noise the machine struck the water and plunged down nose first at an angle of about 45 degrees. There was a sound of splintering and the wings appeared to fold back. As the Moth hit the water Mr. Codings restarted the engine of his motor-boat and dashed across toward the aeroplane. Seized by Fingers Half the distance to the rapidly sinking machine hftd been covered by the motor-boat when Mr. Lester came to the surface and began to crawl along the fuselage of the aeroplane toward the tail. Mr. Codings called out and asked him if he was alone, and Mr. Lester said, "No one else aboard." Mr. Codings then ran his boat right over the wreck and stopped it with the cockpit alongside, but a few feet away from, the tail. Mr. Codings said it could not have taken him more than two minutes to put his launch alongside. As it reached this point Mr. Lester let go his hold on the tail, which was sinking as fast as the pilot was climbing it, and made a few strokes toward the launch". He began to sink and flung up his left hand.

Another of those in the launch hold Mr. Collings' legs and he leaned out from the cockpit, seized two fingers of Mr. Lester's hand, all that was within reach, and drew him toward the launch. Mr. Lester was then lifted into the cockpit, where he behaved with amazing fortitude. He made suggestions for easing his position while three women passengers in the launch assisted him. Rushed to Hospital The launch was raced back to the landing steps before being sent acrov to Beach Haven, where Dr. Garfield Stewart, of Takapuna, was waiting. Mr. Lester was then brought on to the Admiralty Steps and rushed to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital by ambulance. He was reported to be suffering from severe head injuries. The aeroplane was later taken from the water and the engine dismantled to avoid damage by salt water. The wings were taken off. The Tiger Moth was one of a number recently imported from England * for training purposes under the Government's new defence scheme. It is of a type considered to be particularly suited for blind flying, aerobatics and elementary training. The machines are equipped with Gypsy engines of 130 horse-power.