FATE OF PILOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23266, 8 February 1939, Page 10

FATE OF PILOT

CRASH AT A P.AGEANT

BOMBING DEMONSTRATION

PREMATURE EXPLOSION , ,

[from our own correspondent! SYDNEY, Feb. 3. t After a bomb, specially constructed* for exhibition purposes, had exploded in his hand, pilot Ernest Buck, ag 9 <J 34, of Newcastle, crashed to death 50 yards in front of a crowd of 3000 horrified spectators at an aerial pageant at Orange, 160 miles west of Sydney, on Monday.

The pilot had been demonstrating target bombing with powder bombs in a Tiger Moth. It is believed that a bomb exploded prematurely i n cockpit as Mr. Buck swung over the target at the aerodrome. Those on the ground heard two explosions. Pieces of fabric fell from the aeroplane, and the dive at the crowd began. Mr. Buck was unconscious, but still alive' when he was lifted from the shattered wreck of his machine, but died on the way to hospital.

Before the crash Mr. Buck had dropped two powder bombs with a six. second fuse. These 'were ignited bv striking an ignition strip in the cockpit. Pilots believe that Mr. Buck struck two bombs, one after the other, as a finals for his bombing display. And, they believe, the first bomb went off before he could drop it over, the side. The other bomb followed.

"Mr. Buck took off solo to drop bombs on an improvised fort target at the aerodrome," said an eye-witness. "He dropped two bombs successfully. He got into position to drop a third bomb. He was about 800 feet up. I heard an explosion, then another. The aeroplane dived at the crowd. I saw pieces of it falling to the grounds Everybody- was screaming. Some put their hands over their faces. But he zoomed out at about 400 feet and climbed again to 800 feet. There was a great sigh from the people as he climbed. But, then a shout again went up when he was about 800 feet up. There he slipped off a turn into a lefthand spin. "It was agony watching him. Ee was spinning down and down in front of us like a falling leaf. We knew he was done for. It seemed a year watch-, ing him, waiting for it. Then it came. He dived into the ground with a terrific crash." Mr. Buck was a married man with three children. He was trained for hi* instructor's licence by the Newcastle Aero Club in 1935, and was appointed honorary assistant- instructor to the club in* November of that year. In September, 1936, he became instructor to the Clarence River Aero Club at Grafton. In March, 1937, he returned to Newcastle as permanent assistant instructor, and in October of, the same year, he was appointed chief instructor to the Newcastle Aero CluJt.