CHICHESTER HAS CRASH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 194, 17 August 1931, Page 1

CHICHESTER HAS CRASH.

Machine Smashed and Flyer Injured. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. TOKIO, August 15. Mr F. C. Chichester crashed to-day when taking off on the last stage of his flight to Tokio, through his machine striking an electric cable. Mr Chichester was taken to hospital suffering from injuries to the head and right leg. His machine is useless and it is expected that.he will return to Australia. When endeavouring to take off from Katsuura, Mr Chichester encountered unfavourable winds of unusual difficulty. He made his first attempt to leave the water at 9 a.m., but it was not until 9.50 a.m. that his machine rose. Fie failed to gain altitude and almost immediately struck the cable which brought the aeroplane crashing on to the stone balustrade around the hotel at the nearby hot springs. One eye-lid was lacerated and his head, chest and thighs were badly bruised. He was unconscious for some hours, and will be laid up for several weeks, but the physicians at the hospital in the neighbouring town say that he will recover. The machine was completely wrecked. Townsfolk who rushed out to extricate the flyer from the ’plane and carry him to hospital describe how valiantly he struggled against the wind, which drove him low over the cliffs near the water, where he encountered the cable which caught one wing of the machine. The townsfolk carried him to the local doctor and at noon, still unconscious, he was removed to the hospital at Shingu. Mr Chichester was slow in regaining consciousness. He was taken in a train to hospital, where it was found that his injuries were not so serious as was at first thought. The lacerations are expected to heal within a month. The airman is in good spirits and says he will continue his flight to Britain, via the Arctic, as soon as ha recovers. The Chief of the Aeronautic Bureau, however, states that Mr Chichester’s machine will be useless for further flight and the airman is now likely to return to Australia and start again. The Aeronautic Bureau has sent officials and doctors to attend to him, and the local governor has been instructed to render all assistance.