FATAL PLANE CRASH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18579, 13 December 1934, Page 8

FATAL PLANE CRASH

POOR VISIBILITY INQUEST ON PASSENGER

(Per Press Association.) TIMAKU, last night. An inquest touching on the death oi Howard Wentworth Bailey, Dunedin who was killed when a plane pilotec by Frank Cecil Taylor, Dunedin crashed at St. Andrew’s, near Timaru on November 24, was held to-day. The pilot gave an account of th( flight from Mosgiel and said that aftei leaving Oarnaru, the conditions ul 4000 ft. were so black that he coult not see the instruments on the plane Owing to this he came down where there was more light. Deciding that it was safer to land, lie picked oul a long grassy paddock, which he cir cled twice to mnke sure of a saf( landing. On looking at the air spoec indicator, it was registering 65 miles an hour just prior to passing a bell of trees. He did not remember any thing after passing over these trees while making for the paddock ho ill tended to land in. He was not able to sav what the actual cause of the crash was. He did not intend to lane in the paddock in which he crashed. Andrew Woods, an eye-witness oi the smash, said the plane in turning; seemed to fall to the ground. A verdict was returned that (1c ceased died from shock and cerebral laceration received when a plain piloted by Frank Taylor crashed whor attempting to land on account of the poor Visibility.