Pilot Of Crashed Plane In Court

Chronicle (Levin), 20 October 1949, Page 6

Pilot Of Crashed Plane In Court

WAIPUKURAU, Oct. 19. After having had a remarkable escape from serious injurv when the Tiger Moth he was piloting crashed uear Waipawa, Maurice Leslie Dunn, single, aged 20, a rnember of the Hawke 's Bay and Last Coast Aero Club, appeared before Mr. L. J. H. Sinclair, S.M., on charges of flying at a low altitude to- the danger of persons and dwellings and dropping articles while in flight without prior permission. Holding that defendant was not flying to the danger of the pubiic but to himself, Mr. Sinclair imposed a fine of £20 on the first eliarge and convicted him on the second. The poliee said that, according to witnesses present, the altitude was not uiore than treetop height. The aircratt, which was not insured, was damaged to the extent of £600 to £700. It was defendant 's intention to drop magazines to some friends in the district. Realising he was too low, said a. statement by Dunn, he endeavoured to bank to,.gaiu height but the motor backfired. He threw out the magazines which were impeding attempts to control the plane. It . then went into a dive, landing at an angle of 70 to 80 degrees. Counsel for accused stated that defendant 's aetions were ones of inexperience. He was not guilty of hazardour flying but rather of being unabie to cope with an emeTgency. Imposing the penalty, the Magistrate said he hoped it would act as a deterrent to otheT foolhardy pilots.