PILOT O'HARA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22889, 25 May 1936, Page 9

PILOT O'HARA

KILLED IN AEROPLANE CRASH AVIATOR INCINERATED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SYDNEY, May 23. (Received May 24, at 7.30 p.m.) Brief news was received in Sydney this afternoon of the tragic death of Pilot Walter Martin O'Hara, who crashed shortly aftor taking off at Eumuiigerie, 315 miles west of Sydney. It is reported that the plane caught fire, and that O'Hara was incinerated. Since leaving Sydney on the first stage of his leisurely Might to Java O'Hara had been staying on a sheep station, the property of Mr Justice Boyce's son, between Dubbo aYid Narromine. A NOSE-DIVE TO EARTH MACHINE BURSTS INTO FLAMES AIRMAN'S TERRIBLE INJURIES SYDNEY, May 24. (Received May 25, at 0.30 a.m.) Mr O'Hara had been staying- with Mr R. E. Boyce, son of Mr Justice Boyce, 40 miles from Dubbo. His Kleinm plane was parked a mile away in a paddock, whither he motored this morning with a party of friends.

He took off for Dubbo, where he intended to make a stop and then continue to Cootamundra, intending to lunch with a fellow-airman, Butler. The machine rose 200 ft and circled. Mr O'Hnra waved farewell and banked sharply. The machine immediately nosedived to earth and burst into flames. Mr O'Unva was thrown tour feet from the machine, but not out. of reach of the flames. He scon became a human torch. His friends were unable to approach owing to the heat, but finally dragged him away with the branch of a tree. An examination of the body revealed (hat many bones were broken and that there were injuries to. the head which themselves, it is thought, would have proved fatal. The body, which was terribly burned, will be brought to Sydney awaiting instructions from the relatives with regard to burial.

Pilot O'Hara left Mascot on the afternoon of May 18 en route to Java, via Gunnedah, Melbourne, Adelaide. Perth. Derby and Darwin. His solo flight across the Tasman Sea from Sydney to Mangere (Auckland) on October 18 of last year was a most daring feat. He left Sydney at 7.45 a.m. (New Zealand time) and arrived at 8.32 p.m. He flew a small Klemm Eagle monoplane. He carried no wireless and the first news of hj.tn was when he flew over Waiukn, 40 miles from Auckland. The Department of Civil Aviation in Sydney cancelled the certificate of airworthiness for the flight. This precluded an official take-off from a 'Government, aerodrome, and Pilot O'Hara signed the log indicating that he would land on Gerringong Beach, having been informed that the machine would be impounded unless this course were adopted.