FATAL NOSE DIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21920, 4 April 1933, Page 8

FATAL NOSE DIVE

YOUNG AIRMAN KILLED GREAT FORCE OF IMPACT (Per United Press Association.) HAMILTON, April 3. , Nose diving from a height of 150 feet, the Blackburn-Bluebii'd dual control biplane owned by the Waikato Aviation Company, crashed at Te Eapa yesterday morning, the pupil-pilot, Raymond Eric Land, aged 19, receiving fatal injuries. Suffering from a fractured leg, severe abrasions, and shock, Land, who was a son of Mr E. G. Land, of Hineraoa street, was rushed to the Waikato Hospital, where his condition yesterday afternoon was reported favourable. The news of his death about 5 p.m. came as a great shock to all. It was believed that he had experienced a miraculous escape. Land was turning towards the aerodrome preparatory to landing, but had developed insufficient flying speed, and the plane dropped, falling into a, nose dive. It was a fine day, with little wind. The scene of the accident was a deep gully opposite the aerodrome. After the crash the aeroplane was projecting perpendicularly out of the ground, with its tail in the air. Evidence of the great force of the impact was furnished by the fact that only the top of the propeller was visible, the remainder, together with part of the engine, being buried deep in the soft earth of the gully. As the plane crashed into a swamp surface the later acted as a buffer, and considerably minimised the pressure. It was thought that this, and the fact that the machine did not .catch fire, were the reasons why Land was not killed instantaneously. The petrol tank was installed at the junction of the upper set of wings, and after the impact the tank was thrown forward away from the engine, which was almost completely submerged in the ground. When the crash came Land’s legs were pinned under the rudderbar, while his head must have been jerked violently forward on to the instrument board. It was stated that he was conscious throughout. Dr G. W. Gower was in the neighbourhood, and was able to give attention to Land a few minutes after the crash. His examination showed that the deceased was suffering from severe facial injuries, including a broken nose, a fraci tured leg, a crushed chest, and shock. He I rallied during the afternoon, but col- . lapsed and died about 6 o’clock. Young Land was a prefect at the Hamilton Technical School, and a member of the first fiftten in 1931, when he left school, having secured his matriculation and engineering preliminary. At the time of the accident he was undergoing flying tests with the object of securing his “ A ” certificate and obtaining a post with the Royal Air Force in England. He had done two and a-half hours’ solo flying.