PELORUS AIR CRASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23954, 2 May 1941, Page 8

PELORUS AIR CRASH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST LANDING GROUND MISTAKEN (0.C.) NELSON", Thursday An inquest into the deaths of PilotOfficer Vernon Wellington Raymond and Aircraftman James Edward! Murphy, both oi Nelson, who were killed when a Royal New Zealand Air Force aeroplane crashed in the Merangi Valley, Pelorus, on April 2, was conducted at Nelson before the coroner, Mr. I. Iv Mauiisell, S.M. -A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned. There were two other occupants of the machine, Corporal L'Jric Whitley, of Auckland, who was seriously injured, and Corporal John George Watt, of Dunediu. The latter said that when the aeroplane was above tli9 Wangamoa range. Hying at an altitude of between •300U and IOUO feet, the engine suddenly stopped and the aeroplane immediately went into a glide, and commenced to lose height. It lost about 1000 feet in altitude and then the engine started to function again, and they at once started to regain altitude. The engine remained functioning for only a fraction of a minute and then stopped permanently-Pilot-Officer Raymond was looking for an emergency landing ground as the aeroplane glided down. He followed the course of the Hernngi creek and. coining to a spot where it appeared from the air that an emergency landing ground was just possible, they attempted to land there. Hut as they came to the place it was clear to him that a crash was inevitable, for what had appeared from the air to be a lauding ground turned out to be a hill. The machine crashed into it. Corporal Watt said he was rendered unconscious. When he recovered he climbed out of the wreck and discovered Pilot-Officer Raymond still in the pilot's seat, lie was crushed by the engine, which had been forced back into the cockpit. He was dead and witness was unable to extricate him. He then saw Aircraftman Murphy, who also was dead. Corporal Whitley was lying across Murphy's body unconscious, "le was bleeding from face, head a'" l hand. Witness endeavoured to extricate him. but was unable to get him out. He could see that Whitley's thigh was broken. He made the injured man as comfortable as possible and set out, for assist ance.