TWO PLANES CRASH

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 65, 24 February 1931, Page 3

TWO PLANES CRASH

MISHAP NEAR GERALDINE OCCUPANTS’ LUCKY ESCAPE. TIM A PC, Fob. 23. Two Government ’planes, one piloted by Wing-Commander Grant Dalton, who had a passenger, and the other piloted by Flight-Sergeant Simpson, who had as a passenger Flight-Sergeant L. A. Dini, crashed near “Silverton,• ’ the homestead of Air ,1. M. H. Tripp, II miles from Geraldine, shortly after 10 o’clock this morning when returning from Dunedin to Christchurch. Fortunately the four occupants escaped with a severe shaking. _ ■ At the time of the crash atmospheric conditions were particularly bad, the clouds being low and electric disturbances taking place in the vicinity. Air pockets gave trouble, and without a moment’s warning the ’planes crashed almost simultaneously. The metal ’plane, piloted by Wing-Commander Grant Dalton, was the first to reach land and suffered a broken under-car-riage and other damage. The wooden Moth crashed a few moments later, the under-carriage being totally wrecked . and the propeller smashed and considerable other damage being caused. The field where the ’planes crashed is a tussocky wind-swept waste. The marvel is that the occupants of the wooden Moth were not killed as the under-car-riage was pushed tip through the flooring, and the pilots’ seat and the most exposed parts being badly smashed. A Government lorry was sent from Sockburn and a wooden machine is to he sent to Christchurch for repairs. It is hoped that the metal ’plane will be sufficiently reconstructed to fly to Christchurch to-morrow.