CRASH SEEN FROM AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1934, Page 3

CRASH SEEN FROM AIR

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST “YOUTH OF NEW ZEALAND.” FATE OF 16-SEATER MACHINE. How the pilot and passengers of ■an aeroplane saw another machine crash to the ground was described at the inquest at the Royal Bucks Hospital, Aylesbury, last month, on the four people who perished when the 16-seater aeroplane Youth of New Zealand crashed in flames at Aston Clinton on September 22. The air-liner was returning from Portsmouth to Coventry after having refuelled Sir Alan Cobham’s machine for his attempted non-stop flight to India, broken later in the day at Malta. After leaving Heston airport, where the liner landed for petrol, it crashed in a field beside a canal and burst into flames. The pilot of the other machine, Leonard Harry Stace, of Warwick Gardens, Kensington, said that he was flying a plane from Wrexham to Heston, and near Halton his passengers drew his attention to another plane. “It was flying at 900 ft, 100 ft below the clouds,” he said. “The other plane was south-east of me, and when I saw it it was in a hose-up position. I estimated its height to be about 600 ft. WHEELS UPPERMOST. “I saw two pairs of wheels uppermost—it was nearly on its back. I saw several large fragments fall from the wing. I thought they were inter-plane struts, but I am not prepared to swear to that. I circled the aeroplane at 200 ft and saw it burst into flames. I realised I could not help, and I flew to Halton aerodrome.” Mr. Stace said that there was a strong westerly wind and it was gusty. It made flying difficult, but not dangerous. Edward S. Worth, of Balham, a Press photographer, a passenger in Mr. Stace’s plane, said that the other plane seemed to give a shudder, turned over completely, and crashed. He did not see any fragments drop from it. Major James Cooper, inspector of accidents, said he concluded that the primary cause of the accident was a fracture of the main bolt which secured the bracing wires of the front spar to the tail plane. “The fracture of this bolt is typical of failure by fatigue,” he said. Major Cooper produced a model of the aeroplane's tail and demonstrated his theory. The coroner, Mr. S. E. Wilkins: What would happen if that bolt broke? Major Cooper said the plane would be forced upward very violently; the pilot would have no control of the machine from the time the bolt failed. “My own view,” said Major Cooper, “is that the failure of this bolt is the result of the bolt having been subjected to some force which it would not get under conditions of normal flight.” Major Cooper said that he thought the machine at the time was being flown quite properly. PLANE USED IN AIR “CIRCUS.” Mr. Sidney Noakes (for Mrs. Bembridge, the wife of the pilot, who was killed): Has this machine been used in an air “circus” taking passengers up for short flights?—“l understand so.” Mr. Noakes: We have heard that this machine was used for refuelling?— "Yes.”

Would that quantity of petrol toward the tail of the machine have any effect? —“lt was in the cabin. The conditions have all been fully approved by the Air Ministry.” Answering Mr. Patterson (for Mrs. Donovan, wife of the engineer, who was also killed), Major Cooper said: “We do know that in fact the tail plane had been damaged accidentally and very severely. That was when they were refuelling at Frinton.”

George Edward Cook, chief engineer to Sir Alan Cobham, said that the machine’s certificate of airworthiness was renewed by the Air Ministry on August 10 last. Dealing with the accident at Frinton, Cook said he carefully examined all the fittings and if the bolt had been bent he would have seen it. After the accident the tail plane was removed from a sister machine and fitted to the Youth of New Zealand with the consent of an Air Ministry inspector at Frinton, the whole job being done by Littlejohn (a rigger, who lost his life in the crash), who reported it was in order. Mr. Noakes: Did you have previous “snags” or difficulties with the machine? —“We had a little engine trouble.” Mr. Noakes then asked: “No other snags?” At the same time he passed Cook a document, reading out the heading on it. The coroner said he did not wish the Press to make use of that heading, and counsel apologised for having read it. The coroner, summing up, said it was important to remember that after the accident at Frinton an Air Ministry inspector had inspected the plane and was satisfied that it was airworthy.

After only five minutes’ retirement the jury returned a verdict that there was not sufficient evidence to show what caused the aeroplane to crash. The foreman said: “We also wish to say that there is no blame attached to anyone. In our opinion the aeroplane crashed before the fire broke out.”