AIR LINER DISASTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 413, 3 November 1930, Page 7

AIR LINER DISASTER

THREE PEOPLE KILLED EFFORT TO LA/ND IN A FOG LONDON, Oct. 30. A message from Boulogne states that the twin-engined plane City of Washington, en route from Paris to Croydon, crashed w’hen nearing the coast. The engine ceased action. The pilot struggled on, seeking a landing place. He encountered fog and a wing crashed into a hillside. The plane overturned and was completely destroyed, but did not catch fire.

One passenger and two Imperial Air ways employees were killed and two other passengers were injured. The accident was not discovered for two hours. When farm labourers were going to work after dinner they found a passenger, Mr 8. A. Tonkins, of Manchester, who, despite a terribly injured leg which has since been amputated, crawled nearly a mile shouting for help. He was almost exhausted, but managed to explain the whereabouts of the crash.

Rescuers found the remainder still in the wreck. An American passenger and the mechanic were dead. Another mechanic died after being lifted out. The other survivors are seriously injured. This is Imperial Airways second Channel service fatality. Previously it had carried 150,000 passengers during five years and had flown 5,000,000 miles with only one fatal crash when the City of Ottawa came down in the Channel.

SURVIVORS’ EVIDENCE LONDON, Oct. 31. At to-day’s inquiry into the loss of RlOl, Engineer Cook, one of the survivors, with hands bandaged, said: “I tried to get out of the car doorway towards the ship, but there was a mass of flame in front of me and the heat was terrific. I turned to the sliding doors on the exterior side, but found that a girder had fallen. I thought I was completely trapped and became desperate. I thrust up the girder and jumped out, landing on the grass. I tore off my burning overalls. My hands were hurting terribly while doing so. I heard minor explosions.

Sir M. Simon questioned Cook regarding the entry in the engine log (cabled yesterday). Mr Cook was of the opinion that Blake, whom he relieved, wrote three, intending to write thirty, but,forgot to complete it. Cook examined the instruments and found everything correct. Leech, another surviving engineer, said the flames seemed to originate in the control tower. The smoke-room was Riled with choking smoke. Counsel asked: You heard people screaming? Leech turned away and said he would rather not answer. Sir Simon sympathetically interposed: “There is no need.” Leech added that the smoking-room fell in. He tore part of the settee from a bulkhead and scrambled out.