MOTH PLANE CRASHES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21032, 22 May 1930, Page 9

MOTH PLANE CRASHES.

PASSENGER FATALLY INJURED. PILOT REMOVED TO HOSPITAL. MACHINE COMPLETELY WRECKED. ' (Per United Pbess Association.} TE AWAMUTU, May 21. With a crash heard over a mile away a De Haviland Moth machine, owned by the Hamilton Airways and conducted in conjunction with the Bryant Home, crashed to the earth near the Te Awamutu landing ground- at the racecourse at 4.25 this afternoon. Two machines were making passenger flights during the day, and it is understood that this was the final flight. Pilot Saunders, of Auckland, is suffering from shock and severe cuts on the forehead and chin. His condition is hot believed to be serious. A passenger, Mr Alfred W. Minchin, aged 24, a single man residing at Te Awamutu, suffered severe cuts on the chin, a compound fracture of the left ankle, and concussion, and succumbed to his injuries at 7 o'clock this evening. Saunders was still unconscious two hours after the crash. The plane was proceeding from a flight to the landing ground. It appeared to rise slightly and from an altitude of about 1000 feet began a corkscrew spin. After turning three times it was evident that the'pilot attempted to flatten out, but by this time the altitude was not more than 50 feet, and the plane continued its downward course, making an almost direct nose dive to the ground. The machine was reduced to a tangled mass of wreckage. The nose of the machine drove a short furrow about three feet deep in the paddock." The engine and fuselage were crumpled in an almost unrecognisable mass, and the wings wrenched from the machine and scattered about.

The pilot was thrown almost clear, being only partially beneath the wreckage, but the passenger was thrown forward and pinned directly under the debris, which had to be lifted bodily before the passenger could be extricated.

Assistance was immediately available, and within a few minutes of the crash both the injured men -were motored to a private hospital a mile away from the scene of the mishap.

The pilot of the other machine says that Pilot Saunders remarked earlier in the day that the altimeter of the machine which crashed did not appear to register. Moreover, both had experienced difficulties through the dead air in this particular locality.

It is assumed that Mr Saunders misjudged the height before attempting his spin and did not realise his predicament until top late to flatten out The falling plane fell within 20 feet of the main electric high tension line.

Mr Min chin, who was a carpenter, had practically completed his flying time in the Auckland Club, and it is understood that this was his final flight before qualifying for jEolo flying. He had journeyed to Hamilton so as to make a flight with the planes earlier in the day to To Awamutu. His parents reside at Broadwood, Hokianga, ,

Pilot Saunders had been called from Auckland to take the place of Major Cowper, who was to have piloted this machine.

Mr Minchin had expressed his intention of proceeding to America to take up flying professionally, after gaining his New Zealand pilot’s license. He was prominent in Wnikato football.