CRASH INTO SEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23162, 12 April 1937, Page 10

CRASH INTO SEA

MISHAP TO AEROPLANE PILOT LOSES CONTROL ESCAPE WITH MINOR INJURIES (Special to Daily Timks) GREYMOUTH, April 11. Crashing into the sea 200 yards off the Blaketown "beach, Greymouth, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, a Gipsy Moth, on loan to the West Coast United Aero Club from the Government, and piloted by Mr Ivan Quinney, was badly damaged. The pilot. \ who is a waterside wo-ker, aged 36, \was the onljfc. occupant of the machine, and miraculously escaped with a scalp wound. His condition this evaning was satisfactory. He was rescued by Mr E. Price, a member of the Blaketown Surf Club, who had - very difficult struggle against a/ rough sea before he reached' the machine. PRACTISING TURNS The aeroplane had been in the air only five minutes, and the pilot was practising'vertical turns at a height of about 800 to 1000 feet. It is thought that the pilot was overcome by giddiness, or that the aeroplane was caught in its own slip stream while making a turn as it went into a spin. Mr Quinney was able to pull it out of this, but immediately it went into a second one, and the pilot, exercising great presence of mind, again regained control and gave the engine a burst of speed, but had to cut it off as the aeroplane dived into the sea in a fast glide. It sunk in about 12 feet of water, and then floated to the surface. Fortunately, the pilot had not lost consciousness, and he was able to unstrap himself and climb on to the tail clear cf the water. SWIMMER TO RESCUE Memhers of the Surf Club soon arrived with a reel, and after unsuccessful attempts by several others Mr Price tool' the belt, and, following a strenuous fight against the sea, reached the aeroplane about 10 or 15 minutes after the accident. The floating wreckage made it exceedingly difficult for him to take Mr Quinney off, bu* eventually he succeeded, and on nearing the shore he was assisted by Mr G. Scott to bring Mr Quinney in. Medical attention was given to the pilot on the beach, and he was then taken to hospital. The aeroplane had drifted in about 50 or 100 yards by'tie time the rescue was completed, and a line was made fast and the machine pulled up on the beach by members of the large crowd which had gathered. The wings had been forced back against the fuselage by the impact with the water, one half of the propeller broken off, and the rudder and the right elevator wens badly broken. The engine had been pushed out of place. The aeroplane was dismantled as much as possible, and was taken to the clubhouse. This is the second aeroplane the club has lost, another machine having crashed at Waiho on June 20. 1935 MACHINE RECENTLY REPAIRED The aeroplane which crashed todav, ZKADZ, had been in the aim only since last Tuesday, when repairs following damage which it received in an accident at Hokitika several weeks ago were completed. The club's other machine, ZKAAZ, is at. present being inspected for a certificate of airworthiness, and it vill be about t.wo weeks before it is completed In the meantime, the club has no machine for training, and this delay, together with a recent one of a month, will be a hi" loss to the club. Mr Quinney has an A endorsed certificate for passenger carrying. He has had about 50 or 60 hdurs' flying experience, and is considered a very capable and careful flyer. He has beer a member of the West Coast Club since its inception.