HENDON TRAGEDY

Southland Times, Issue 22008, 6 May 1933, Page 5

HENDON TRAGEDY

adjutant takes blame. CRASH DURING DIVE. (United Press Assn— Telegraph Copyright.) London, May 4. Flight-Lieutenant Eric Hobson, adjutant of Viscount Knebworth’s Squadron, sought at the inquest to take the blame for the recent crash. He explained that he had not attempted a spectacular but merely an ordinary bombing dive from 2000 feet, whence it was customary to come out at 500 feet. He proceeded: “I was leading a V-shaped flight. Three planes began to pull out of the dive at 600 feet. Somehow I continued to lose height until dangerously near the ground and Viscount Knebworth was obliged to follow me. I had not a good view of the ground. I cannot satisfactorily explain the happenings except that I suffered a ‘blacking out,’ whereby in highspeed flying the mind ceased to function for a fraction of a second. The Coroner paid a tribute to Hobson’s generosity and sportsmanship in taking the blame. He did not do himself justice, said the Coroner. Nobody knew what happened and it would be more generous to say it was an act of God. , - j x The verdict was one of misadventure.