PILOT’S ACTION IN CLOUD

Southland Times, Issue 23512, 19 May 1938, Page 12

PILOT’S ACTION IN CLOUD

INQUIRY INTO AIR CRASH DEATH OF BROTHER AND SISTER (United Press Association) HASTINGS, May 16. An error of judgment by the pilot, Nellie Arnott, was the cause advanced by the Inspector of Air Accidents (Mr R. C. Kean) in evidence at the inquiry into the crash of the Hornet Moth machine belonging to the Hawkes Bay and East Coast Aero Club. The crash occurred on April 18 and resulted in the death of the pilot and her brother Robert Bowie Arnott. Mr Kean said that from the evidence that had been submitted the pilot had shown an error of judgment in flying into a cloud with no previous knowledge of blind flying. She had, he contended, dived in an effort to avoid the cloud with the engine racing, and used the elevating control too suddenly, placing an enormous strain on the bottom surface of the wing—in fact, 16 times the normal strain, a much greater strain than the margin of safety in any aeroplane in the world. The machine, he contended had then flattened out for a few moments but when the wings had started to take the load again the starboard wing had collapsed and the machine had dived to earth. He considered the accident had occurred from a height of about 2000 feet.

Six witnesses were heard today by the boad of inquiry, comprising Mr W. F. Stilwell, S.M., (chairman), Commander G. B. Bolt (chief pilot to Cook Strait Airways Ltd.) and Squadron Leader F. B. Burrell (Royal New Zealand Air Force). The board reserved its decision. Dr N. A. Foden appeared on behalf of the Air Department, Mr T. E. O’Dowd on behalf of the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club, Mr W. S. Averill on behalf of relations of the victims and Mr W. E. Bate on behalf of the ground engineer, Mr A. F. Bowyer. Mr Foden, before calling witnesses, said that it was the aim of the Air Department to put forward three hypotheses for the accident:—(l) That there was a defect in the original manufacture; (2) that there was a subsequent fault that had developed since the aeroplane had been put into commission in New Zealand; and (3) that the aircraft had been subjected to strain it ha<4 never been intended to bear because of faulty handling by pilots. ROAR OF ENGINE Gilbert Henry Tresseder, farmer, Crownthorpe Settlement, said he heard the aeroplane overhead functioning normally and then he heard an uqusual roar of the engine. He went outside in time to hear a crash. He was the first on the scene to see several pieces still floating through the air. It was an unusual roar, said Tresseder, which made him go out of the house. That roar had continued to the moment of the crash. The paddock was even and could have been used for a forced landing. William Arthur Darragh, farmer, of Crownthorpe, said the aeroplane seemed to be travelling normally, then the wing seemed to become displaced and the machine dived perpendicularly. He had not seen any part detached from the craft. Alexander Walter Whyte, another farmer, of Crownthorpe said the aeroplane appeared to rise to go into a low cloud. Judging by the sound of the engine the craft seemed to be turning in the clouds. When it came out of the cloud it dived. It then recovered very sharply from the dive and turned upwards. It then made a turn to the right and flattened out. The left wing started to rise and wreckage started to leave the machine. He did not mean that the left wing had broken. The engine was roaring from the time it came out of the cloud until it hit the ground. Roebrt John Johnson, licensed ground engineer with 22 years’ experience, director and chief ground engineer of Air Survey and Transport Company, Ltd., said that the machine had been received in New Zealand and tests had been made after assembly. Inspection had been made by the witness at frequent intervals. CONDITION OF CRAFT The machine was in perfect flying order when the club took it over said Alfred Horace Bowyer, licensed ground engineer to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club. The tips of the wings had slightly grazed the ground on occasions but the wings had not been altered and had not required tightening up because they had remained tight. On the day of the accident he had carried out the normal routine inspection of the machine before it had taken off. He changed the magneto and the plugs on that day and he was quite satisfied that the engine was functioning normally. There had been no fault in the performance of the machine ZK—ACP said Edward Francis Harvie, instructor to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club. He had had 202 hours 10 minutes flying time in the Hornet Moth. It was classified in the normal category which did not permit aerobatics. This precluded the machine from any abrupt changes in altitude and attitude unless there was a particular vice in the machine and there was not in this case. When the trainee passed from the Moth to the Hornet Moth no additional instructions were given apart from ordinary normal flying instructions. REACTIONS IN CLOUD Harvie said that Miss Amott could get out of a spin. She had had no aerobatic training and had done no blind flying. The effect of going into a cloud would be new to her. Mr Foden: What would be her reactions in the cloud ’—l suggest that Miss Arnott deliberately entered the cloud and misjudged its proportions. When she found she did not come out of the cloud within three seconds she may possibly have lost her head and tried to get out of the cloud by diving. When flying blind it is impossible to tell whether you are flying level or otherwise. Whether she got into the cloud deliberately or unintentionally, this would apply. Her reactions to instruction were rather slow and if anything impulsive. Miss Arnott must have known she was going into the cloud if she was using her powers of observation. Harvie said that pupils were instructed not to handle the controls harshly. If the joystick were pulled back hard when the craft was in a dive, the wing structure would be subject to such abnormal strain that the wings might be pulled off. He suggested that this was what had happened in this particular case. Miss Arnott knew that the machine was not built for aerobatics. It was a possibility that she might have misjudged the size of the cloud and its height relative to her own. The dive might have been made quite unconsciously. Mr Kean said he had made an inspection of the accident and had prepared a report which had been submitted to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones).