AMAZING ESCAPE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17236, 16 April 1930, Page 10

AMAZING ESCAPE

AVIATOR’S MISADVENTURE DESCENT ON A TOWN ONLY A FEW SCRATCHES Missing Ihe bonne*, of a motor car by a few inches, a Motli plane, piloted by William. Joseph l’owell, Maroubra, crashed on to the roadway at the corner of Anzac Parade and Boyce road, Maroubra Junction, at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 22. ~ Powell had an amazing escape from c.eatli, as when 1 lie plane plunged Lo earth it carried with it a tangle of electric light and telephone wires. Archibald Smith, a builder, who was driving a motor car along the street with his son, also had a remarkable escape. He brought the car to a standstill within 4ft. of the plane, just when it and a mass of wires seemed certain lo plunge on top of the car. Powell, who had been flying since November last, had had 18 hours dual and 16 hours solo flying, lie left Mascot soon after 7 a.m. and was flying almost over a garage at Maroubra, owned by his father, wdien suddenly the engine cut out. Faced with problem of a forced landing in a f; irly congested area, Powell’ looked for a suitable landing place. . A few' hundred yards away was a wide area suitable for landing, but Powell had not suifleient- way on to reach it. Jhc only place that presented itself was the roadway directly opposite the gaiage. Although the road was not very' wide ho had almost manoeuvred the plain down when the wheels were caught n the telegraph wires, which lilted tin nlane orver and brought down the whole network of wires, entangled in tin wheels. The plane hit the concreU roariwav with a terrific impact. Bowen scrambled out from the wreckage, shaker but uninjured, with the exception of •' few minor scratches The machine was biullv wrecked, the engine beitm unseated and the propeller smashed. Wire' were entangled in the machine and others were hanging dowr from the telephone poles.

A recent cablegram stated that tb< Anstrrd’nn Minister of Defence bad can celled Powell's certificate. Flying ova towns at a low altitude is expressly for Ridden by the resolutions.