NIGHT AIR CRASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25179, 17 April 1945, Page 4

NIGHT AIR CRASH

ONE PILOT KILLED SECOND PLANE MISSING AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH A fighter pilot was killed and another posted missing following night flying training by two R.N.Z.A.F. aircraft in the Auckland area on Sunday night. Both aircraft were flying from Whenuapai and were last heard of between 10.45 and 11 p.m. A search was begun and the wreck of one machine was found between Pokeno and Miranda yesterday. The pilot, t who was killed, was Flight-Sergeant A. M. Mortimer, son of Mrs J. Mortimer, of Brydone, Southland. The pilot of the second aircraft was Flight-Sergeant F. C. Ferrick, whose wife resides at Cambridge, Ashburton. A widespread search by aircraft yesterday morning did not locate the second machine, although most of the Auckland area had been covered before the weather stopped flying in the afternoon. The search will be continued today. Particular attention will be paid to the Waitakere ranges. LIFE LOST AT WIGRAM LEADING-AIRCRAFTMAN'S FATE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Monday When the Harvard aircraft he was flying on night training exercise crashed on the airfield at Wigram last night the pilot was killed. He was Leading-Aircraftman Keith Gordon Robertson, aged 22 years. The deceased enlisted in tlue Royal New Zealand Air Force last year. His mother is Mrs E. A. Robertson, Tinwald, Ashburton.