AIRWAYS BIPLANE CRASHES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20493, 11 August 1936, Page 7

AIRWAYS BIPLANE CRASHES

DISASTER ON TRIAL FLIGHTS SKILLED CREW BURNED TO DEATH United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received August 10, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, August 10. The Imperial Airways twin-engined biplane Veilox, crashed behind a row of houses after bouncing off the roofs, while taking off from Croydon at 2.15 a.m. to-day. The crew, namely an Australian (Captain Niles Fergusson), the second pilot (Captain J. Orr) and the first pilot Arbuckle and a wireless operator named Dear were killed. The bodies were recovered terribly mutilated, their clothes being burnt off. The machine, which was fitted with the latest devices, including night flying and blind flying apparatus and an automatic pilot, carried no passengers. It was engaged in an experimental night freight service between London and Paris. ’Plane in Flames An eye-witness saw the ’plane flying low. He heard a loud report, after which the lights were extinguished, and the engines cut out. The ’plane appeared to turn, presumably to return to the aerodrome. It rapidly lost height and a wing touched the chimney. The machine spun and crashed, shattering windows, and burst into flames which leapt 50 feet into the air, setting fire to two houses. The machine was badly damaged. The street was packed with watchers. Rescue attempts impossible owing to the intense heat of the fire. The fire enginers fought the flames for an hour before recovering the first body. Experimental Crew Captain Orr had been operating the experimental service for two months. Captain Fergusson, who was making his first trip, was one of the six Imperial Airways pilots whe were recently awarded their first-class air navigators’ certificate, the highest honour in air navigation.