FLYING TRAGEDY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18559, 20 November 1934, Page 7

FLYING TRAGEDY

N.Z. INSTRUCTOR KILLED ACCIDENT IN INDIA BOMBAY, Nov. 19. Fliglit-Lieut. A'. K. K. Binley, a New Zealander, instructor to the Bombay Flying Club, was fatally injured in a crash at the Juhu aerodrome. Fliglit-Lieut. Binley, who died from injuries when a plane piloted by an Englishman named Ring crashed, recently conducted an instructional flight, of four young Indian members of the club to England and back. He was a New Zealander, and formerly served in the Air Force. He was a clever boxer and played Rugby in an All Black trial prior to the 1927 tour. His mother is at present in Melbourne, en route to visit him. VICTIM’S CAREER Native of Blenheim (Per Press Association.; BLENHEIM, this day. Flight-Lieutenant Alan Keith Hilton Binley, who lost his life in the air accident near Bombay, was 27 years of age, and was the youngest son of Mrs. A. Binley, and the late Mr. J. Binley, of Blenheim. Born in Blenheim, he was educated at the Blenheim School and Marlborough College. After a short period in the Post and Telegraph Department, he joined the staff of the Bank of New South Wales, and .was transferred to the Wanganui branch. He then became interested in aviation and worked his passage to England, and succeeded in securing an appointment with the Royal Air Force. After serving in England, he was stationed at Amman, in Trans-Jordania. He visited New Zealand on furlough at Christmas, 1931. Shortly after his return, he secured an appointment as instructor to. the Bombay Flying Club, and recently added to the history of British aviation by making the pioneer flight from It dia to England with a fleet of club planes piloted by four of his native trainees. On the return journey the planes were forced down in the desert, 200 miles from Basra, and FlyingLieutenant Binley earned warm commendation for his handling of a difficult situation before the party was ultimately rescued.

His mother left Blenheim recently to visit him in Bombay, and at present is in Sydney. A brother, Jack Binley, resides in Sydney, and there are two sisters, Mrs. vT. Watson, of East pay, and Miss Mary Binley,* of Dunedin.