PLANES COLLIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25800, 22 March 1945, Page 4

PLANES COLLIDE

VENTURA PILOT KILLED FOUR OF CREW PARACHUTE TO SAFETY (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Mar. 21. Flying at 2500 feet, a Ventura collided with a Douglas Dakota near Whenuapai to-day, and the pilot of the Ventura, Flight Lieutenant William John Farnsworth, who remained with the aircraft, was killed. The Dakota had 14 feet broken off one wing, but its pilot, Flight Lieutenant D. L. Bade, made a brilliant recovery, landing it safely at Whenuapai. Flight Lieutenant Farnsworth was killed instantly when the Ventura crashed, but the four other members of the crew baled out and escaped unhurt. They were:—Sergeant R. N. Smith navigator (Dunedin); Sergeant C Wellington, wireless operator (Whangarei); Sergeant R. M. Hall, airgunner (Oamaru); and Sergeant I. E. King air-gunner (Temuka). In addition to the pilot. Flight Lieutenant Bade, and the second pilot. Flying Officer James Logan Ross, the Dakota carried two radio experts belonging to the United States Army Air Corps. The Ventura was undertaking range familiarisation practice and the Dakota was undergoing an official radio range test. The cause of the accident is not known and inquiries are proceeding. Flight Lieutenant Farnsworth’s father resides in England. His wife is Mrs M. Farnsworth, of Darfield.