I FATAL PLANE CRASH l

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 111, 15 May 1942, Page 4

I FATAL PLANE CRASH l

SEARCH PARTY ON SCENE BODIES OF OCCUPANTS FOUND IN WRECKAGE (P.A.) Blenheim, May 14. When the ground party reached the scene of the wreck of the Lockheed airliner on Mount Richmond yesterday afternoon, it was found that if it had flown a hundred yards to the right of its actual course, it would have escaped disaster. The plane crashed into an almost vertical rocky face 150 yards below the summit oi the north-east shoulder of the highest mountain in the viv cinity. It is clear that the death of the live occupants was mercifully inl. stantancous. The bodies oi the pilots . ; t hose oi v the passengers in or near the fuse--4 lage, which was burnt out. It is prob- - able that Ihe pilot saw the mountain - suddenly loom up. and made an un- - availing effort to swerve. e Although the bodies were charred e they were identifiable. i- The first news of the examination of the wreck was brought down the s mountain this morning by Clarrie s Lovell, one of the settlers who wore o guiding the party, and two soldiers, c Sergeant Lionel Penny and Corporal •- Ted Brundell, of Nelson. They II reached the nearest homestead at t 8.30, after spending the night in the bush, halfway down the mountain. I- When the party of 23 men reached s the foot of Mount Richmond yesterday morning they found they faced s some of the roughest country in the ? hinterland of Marlborough, and had !■ to leave most of their gear, including : the portable wireless set, behind. A seven-hour climb took the parly to - the scene of the crash, but after an - examination of th? wreck it was too late to attempt the return journey. n Three men were sent on to report, r and the rest of the party prepared to •J spend the night on the mountain, ‘ without tents or blankets. Some of ' the men, unused to climbing, were 1 already feeling the strain of the exf pedition. The whole party must have spent a very uncomfortable time owing to the bitter cold. The main party is expected to reach the flat this afternoon, with the bodies of the j victims. BOARD OF INQUIRY e < (P.A.) Wellington, May 14. i The Minister of Defence, the Hon. 1. F. Jones, announced that it was his intention to set up a board of inquiry n into the loss of the airliner which ii crashed on Mount Richmond. t * REARRANGING SERVICES ci (P.A.) Nelson, May 14. Consequent on Ihe loss ol the Union Airwax.s Lockheed which was on loan to Cook Strait Airways, some rej arrangement of the air services now n operating throughout New Zealand is n likely. ‘ The managing-director of Cook 0 Strait Airways stated to-day that the r machines and pilots necessary to main,l tain ’the services on the present scale . were not available, and therefore some

curtailment would be necessary. The shortage of pilots and planes was moreserious at present than the petrol difficulty. New schedules would be worked out to provide the best possible service within the limits o£ tne planes and men available.