AN AIR TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 110, 3 February 1919, Page 6

AN AIR TRAGEDY

BIPLANE SMASHED TO MATCHWOOD AVIATOR HILL RILLED .By Telegraph—Press Association Christchurch, February 3. The Riccarton raeecoirso was a scene of a tragedy this afternoon. Just as the Lytteltou Plate was "being run at 4.10 p.m., Mr. C. M. Hill appeared over the racecourse in the Canterbury Aviation Company's new aeroplane. He circled over the course, disappearing in some low-lying clouds, but reappearing again in a nose dive. He circled again, and finally flew low over the course, being cheered by the crowds as the familiar figure was discerned. He waved acknowledgment, and did a bit of a switchback over the course; then ho climbed again to get altitude, and made a wide sweep over the course. He fas up a couplo of thousand feet, flying in a southerly direction, when he disappeared in the clouds. He appeared again in a break of tlie clouds, and, diving prettily, threw the machine up into a very pretty evolution, but he .did-Lot come very well out of the loop, and bad to put the nose of the -machine down sharply to come out of it. Then he dived for another loop. This time lie was diving directly towards the crowd. He rosewto tako ihe loop, but as he did so there was a palpable snap, and one wing collapsed. The aviator evidently, tried to pull the machine into the horizontal, but it lurched over sideways—the end had come evidently for a very brave r.nd popular aviator. The machine turned lazily—some said that both wings had. collapsed-an object fell clear, possibly a l.at or helmet, ami then the machine "rashed beyond the belt of trees. The crowd was speechless with horror, but immediately' there was a rush across the course, to tne spot where the machine had disappeared. Word came back that the biplane was in matchwood, and the'aviator dead. Dr. Scott, who was on the.course, was immediately driven across by motor-car, and found that death must have been instantaneous. . Mr. Hill had put through the school 182 pupil cadets for, the Royal Air Forces, awl it was not until the armistice was signed that 'he would tako a holiday. He was a man of great simplicity and charm of manner, and was very popular with all his pupils, and with the staff at the aerodrome. He had taken many passengers for short flights, and had just completed a programme of air displays as far as Invercargill, and arranged to carry a passenger between each centre. It was for'this purpose that he was trying out the machine. Mr. Hill was an English aviator, trained at Hendon, and waa aged 34. He was engaged by the Aviation Company as chief instructor; at the flying school. He leaves a wife and little daughter. The machine in which Mr. Hill met his death was a 80-h.p. biplane, constructed at the aerodrome by J. G. Mackie. 'it had certain new features which were expected to increase the stability. Mr. Hill intended to fly to Invercargill in it, but had not completed his tests. An inquest was held, and a verdict of accidental death by a fall from an aeroplane was returned. Evidence showed that Hill had been tipin the machine on previous occasions, and ha waa well satisfied with it. Saturday afternoon, however, was the first time he had looped tlio loop in the machine. The wires' of tiie machine were of the same standard and quality as the wires used in the construction of similar machines in the Old I Country. There was no suggestion or evi- j dence that the machine had in any way been tampered with.