FLYING BOAT CRASH.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LI, Issue 38, 13 December 1929, Page 3

FLYING BOAT CRASH.

FATAL SPIN. CAPTAIN AND MECHANIC DROWNED. AUCKLAND, Last night. Two lives were lost when a DomierLibelle flying boat, owned by Aerial Services, Ltd., dived into the sea several hundred yards off the centre of Milford Beach at about 5.30 to-night. The victims were:—Captain D. E. Harkness, Lecturer in Civil Engineering at Ihe Auckland University College, the principal partner in the company; and Charles F. Goldsbro, of St. 11 elier’s Bay, the mechanic.

The flying boat was imported about two months ago for commercial purposes, and had been flown on several occasions by Captain W. Alan, the company’s pilot.

Among those woh saw the flying boat dive into the sea was Mrs McIlines. She was standing on the beach with another woman. It appeared to them that the engine stoplied as the machine was turning, and they formed the opinion that the pilot intended to land. When the spin developed they thought the pilot was stunting. As the machine shot perilously near the water they realised it was out of control. It was then that they heard two explosions, as though the engine had back-fired. The second report came from the engine when the flying boat was near 'the water.

Airs Alclnnes rushed to the water’s edge, and after sending one of the children for help, launched a dinghy which was lying on the beach. While she was doing this two men arrived and jumped into the dinghy, accompanied by a boy. They rowed rapidly to the scene of the disaster several hundred yards from the shore.

When the first of the rescuers reached (lie scene the flying boat was still afloat, but the weight of the engine was gradually submerging’ the fore pait. The cockpit of the upturned craft was several feet below the surface of the water. The first attempts at rescue were made by Stanley Bacon and Harry Abbott,* members of the life-saving team, who had gone out in swimming costumes.

Diving under the flying boat, they attempted to release one of the men bv grasping his arm, but though he seemed to move a lillle, all their efforts were insufficient to set him free. At this time il was not known whether anyone had been in Ihe machine besides the pilot. The hack of the hull was partially visible to those on shore and one man, who immediately secured a pair of glasses, plainly saw an arm reach up as though one of the trapped men was trying to lift himself up. The effort was apparently fruitless, for although he tried for several moments to extricate himself he sank hack and disappeared as the hull subsided. Eventually the wrecked machine was lowed ashore by ropes and the bodies of the dead men were extricated.