AEROPLANE TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1930, Page 7

AEROPLANE TRAGEDY

PILOT DASHED TO DEATH. MACHINE SMASHED TO PIECES. Hundreds of people witnessed a terrible aeroplane accident at Mascot, Sydney, on Wednesday, September 17. Mr. David Smith, a brilliant young airman, was flung from a Tiger Moth machine, the fastest light aeroplane in the world. . 5 , Practically every bone in the young pilot’s body was broken. At the spot where he fell there was an impression of his body depressed a foot below the surface. The engine of the aeroplane buried itself three feet in the soil and had to be dug out. The accident was a climax w a°remarkable battle by the airman to gain control of the ,machine, which was travelling at about 180 miles an hour and rolling in an alarming fashion. ’ ' Late in the afternoon the little stream-lined monoplane was wheeled out on to the aerodrome, and Mr. Smith climbed into the tiny cockpit.

“Let me strap you in,” said someone. “No,” replied Mr. Smith. “I won’t strap in. If anything happens straps will not make any difference.’! That, in the opinion of many airmen, was the fatal mistake, for,' had Mr. Smith been strapped in, he might have been able to reach the Mascot aerodrome safely. The engine' accelerated with a deafening roar, mechanics and friends of the youncr pilot sprang aside, and the machine sped across the aerodrome to rise gracefully and swiftly. Gaining altitude with remarkable ( speed, the machine flew over Maroubra, and those in the little group standing on the aerodrome shaded their eyes and watched -the aeroplane almost disappear. Then the pilot turned with the wind, and was returning when the machine suddenly fell. It continued.on again. Then it fell again. A cry of alarm escaped the watchers’ lips. Mr. Smith had been fluno- from the cockpit, and, with his uncontrolled aeroplane, was hurtling downward. , Eye-witnesses say that .they stood watching the flight with amazement. It was the° fastest moving thing they had ever seen. It flashed overhead with the engine whining curiously. “It was almost a sort of scream; a rather unnerving sound,” said one. Then it seemed to fall into a great air-pocket, and it hurtled downward for what appeared to be 30ft. or 40ft; The fall of the machine was sharply arrested, and after staggering under the jolt of its suddenly-regained speed iU flashed onward. It was tossing and reeling, sometimes pitching forward, like a small'boat in a choppy sea, and sometimes rolling sideways. All this was watched with alarm. Then the aeroplane seemed to get into another air pocket, and it was again flung downward. - It was at this moment that the pilot was torn from the cockpit. There were cries of horror when the machine and the pilot were seen to fall. The engine was still racing madly. Mr. Smith had drawn his knees up to his chest, wrapping himself into a kind of ball. ' , Both Mr. Smith and his machine fell into a great nursery bush-house.- When Mr. L. Watsbn, a nurseryman, ran through the forest of great palms to the spot where the body of the airman was lying in a crumpled heap, he saw at a Mance that nothing could be done for h?m. Mr. Smith had been dashed to earth with a force that wai almost incredible.

Nearly 100 yards away the wreckage of the aeroplane was scattered about. There was little left of it; certainly nothing worth salvaging; only a little heap of fabric and wood, for the engine had buried itself in the ground. Immediately after the accident hundreds of people converged upon the spot where the aeroplane had fallen. Ihey rushed through the valuable growing plants of the nursery, and the gardeners vainly endeavoured to stem the wild stampede. Reaching the spot' they sought they stood in silence, their faces blanched by the .'horror of Tile scene. Police had to be summoned to’ remove the intruders from the nursery, where, they had caused much darner. Smith will be remembered for his attempt on the record of Mr. Hinkler, where the aeroplane City of Sydney which ended disastrously near Bangkok, was- forced down, and had to be abandoned,' 1 in April of this year. When, he announced his intention of attacking toe record, a sepsation was caused on account of his extreme youth, which abated somewhat whqn it was learned sociated as mechanic with the Ross and Keith Smith pioneer flight from England, was to accompany him. On March 24 of this year, the City of Sydney left Mascot. After several delays the machine was forced down near Bangkok on April 28 and badly damaged. The aviators decided to abandon the flight and returned to Sydney. Upon arrival at Sydney, Mr. Smith said he was undeterred by his mishap, and intended to make another attempt on the record. \ By the death of Mr. Smith the New South Wales Aero Club has lost one of its most daring and skilful members. Joining the club in April, 1927, he was one of the club’s first pupils. He showed extraordinary aptitude for flying, and soon obtained his pilot s certificate. At the time of his death he had completed 800 hours’ flying time. He was the youngest pilot in Australia, and was regarded 7 as thoroughly competent in the air.-