FATAL AIR CRASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24103, 23 October 1941, Page 12

FATAL AIR CRASH

STIiATJTOBD AERODROME

FLYING-OFFICER'S DEATH

[bv TKLEOUAI'Il — ritl'.ss ASSOCIATION 1 NFAV PLYMOUTH, Wrdnesdi.v The crash of an Air Force aeroplane at Stratford aerodrome on October 1was described to-day at an inquest into the death of Flying-Officer .lack l!ua C'oath. The coroner found that Flying-(Mlieer ('oath died as a result el injuries received in the accident. Donald E. White, president of the i Stratford Aero Club, said the aeroplane was living eastward at about. <>(1(111. It appeared to go into a Ic■ 1 1- i hand climbing turn and then into a left-hand spin, it spun into the ground. Flying-Oflicer (.'oath was in the front cockpit. Similar evidence was given by Henry Scott, vice-captain of the ciub. The weather was clear, with a gusty wind. Leading-Aircraftman Cordon F. Forbes, who was in the rear cockpit, said he remembered the machine taking olf and making a normal circuit of the aerodrome, but. from that stage his memory was a blank. Flying-Officer Coath, to the best oi his knowledge, was a capable officer, said Flight-Lieutenant Kenneth Cordon Smith, chief flying instructor at Hell Block. Apart from the damage caused by the crash, the aircraft was thoroughly airworthy, said Flight-Lieutenant Hubert Henry Smith, ground officer at Hell Mock, who examined the machine alter the accident. He was satisfied the accident was not due to any mechanical defect in the machine. Flight-Lieutenant Frederick James .McDonald, of Hell Block, said the machine was a suitable one to fly on that day. As far as he was aware everything humanly possible was done tn see that the machine was in firstclass order.