FLYING DISASTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22956, 11 August 1936, Page 9

FLYING DISASTER

TERRIFIC CRASH AT CROYDON IMPERIAL AIRWAYS BIPLANE CREW OF FOUR KILLED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, August 10. (Received August 10, at 10 p.m.) An Imperial Airways twin-engined biplane, the Vellox, crashed behind a row of houses after bouncing off roofs while taking off from Croydon at 2.15 a.m. to-day. The crew, namely, an Australian, Captain Miles Fergusson, second pilot Captain J. Orr, first pilot Arbuckle, and wireless operator Dear were killed. The bodies were recovered terribly mutilated, the clothes being burnt off. The machine, which was fitted with the latest devices, including night flying and blind flying apparatus and an automatic pilot, carried no passengers. It was engaged in an experimental night freight service between London and Paris. An eye-witness saw the plane flying low and heard a loud report, after which the lights were extinguished and the engines cut out. It appeared to turn, presumably to return to the aerodrome, and rapidly lost height. A wing touched a chimney and the machine spun and crashed, shattering windows, and burst into flames which leapt 50 feet into the air, setting fire to two houses. The machine was badly damaged. The street was packed with watchers, but rescue attempts were impossible owing to the intense heat. Fire engines fought the flames for an hour before recovering the first body. Orr had been operating the experimental service for two months. Fergusson, who was making his first trip, was one of six Imperial Airways, pilots recently awarded a first class air navigator's certificate, the highest honour in air navigation. PLANE CRASHES INTO SEA TWO OFFICERS KILLED LONDON, August 10. (Received August 11, at 1.30 a.m.) Two officers were killed when a Pagham machine belonging to 604 Auxiliary Squadron of the R.A.F., based at Tangmere, crashed into the sea.