AIR RACE FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 45, 17 November 1919, Page 5

AIR RACE FATALITY

STORY OF THE ALLIANCE DISASTER TRAGIC FATE OF DOUGLAS AND ROSS THE SCENE AT THE START By TeWmDh.-Prcss ABMciation-OojyrleTit (Eec. November IG, 5.5 p.m.) London. November 13. Details of' the disaster to tho Alliance aeroplane, in which Captain Douslas and Lieutenant Ross started their flight to Australia, and which, falling at Rurbiton, was wrecked, both aviators being killed, are necessarily scanty. , Eye-witnesses of the catastrophe remarked on the- machine's low altitude, when suddenly the engines stonped, and the aeroplane no=e-dived into an orchard hnlf a dp.7,en miles from ihe starting point. Within a fow minutes neighbours had hastened to tho spot, and other assistance summoned, but it was discovered that both men were killed. Tho airmen's cheery confidence that their flight would provo successful, and their firm trust in tho capabilities of their engino and machine, add poignancy to tho disaster. Both men chatted freely at Hounslow with the Australian Press representative, who was one'of the last to shako hands with them and wish them good luck as they entered tho machine, which was equipped with every possible comfort for the long journey, including leather upholstered armchairs. Boforo tho Start, Tho airmen wens somewhat disappointed that they could not make an earlier start, but a light snowstorm in London and adverse weather reports indicating fog over the Channel and Northern France prevented them from carrying out their original programme; Tho Channel fog suddenly lifted, however, enabling the start to be made at 11.33 a.m., when the machine was wheeled about preparatory to the start. Tho sun burst out brilliantly, and the onlookers warmly congratulated tho airmen on this good omen. The latter respohed cheerfully, and wnved their final fnrewell from the fuselage windows. The snow mnde the ground heavy, in contrast with tho hard frost of the previous daT. The machine failed to take off cleanly, and even when it loft the ground it tosc slowly and almost anpeared as if it would collide with the trees.' The machine circled round the acrodromo twice, 'but was still only a few feet un, and 6omo of the onlookers questioned "whether the emergency foodstuffs and various equipment carried did not make an over-ncavy load. It is pathetic to recall that Douglass eolo regret for his failure to start at dawn was based on tho fact that tins precluded the possibility of beating the Alliance's -previous record time from London to Madrid. He added: "Anyway, T fully expect that I will nvprtakn the Vickers-Vimy to-morrow." Both Douglas and Ross were inundated with tele-"i-ams and letters of good wishes ud to the very moment of their departure. These included messages from Pnnco Albert and manv leading statesmen and soldiers. Tho .Premier entrusted them with letters for his son-in-law .in Bagdad. Disnatches to Mr. W. M. Uujhes (Prime Minister of Australia) and others wero also carried. Tho Fatal Crash. Tbe machine itaa named tho "Endeavour." At the time of tho crnsli it was heading towards London, probably returning to the TTmmslow aerodrome owing to 4>nd risibility. The crnsli occurred near the Sttrbilnn cemetery. Pedestrians observed that the engine was running intermittently. Several . loud reports followed, and 'the 'plane suddenlv noswUvod at a terrific speed through tho mi«t, and craved into and levelled an a-nplc tree. Tho machine was comnlotelv wrecked, and burst into flames. The -propeller was buried in the ground. Row's lwdv was thrown seven yards <lis-i'm-t from" the machine Ho had been killed instantly. The police "nvedwith volunteers, and removed the wreckage, which had buried Douglas Who-died a few minutes after being oxtnej ted. - Jl.is wrist watch was still gown. The stores were scattered over a wide radius. Durina the trial flight yesterday the m chine's powerful wireless equipment !K messages from the American uaval station at the Panama Cana. Wins based bis confidence m.the, suec;°,s of bis fltehl mainly on maintaining an hourly rn.Mil of 133 miles, declar.ng that this was 10 miles more than that of any other competitor. H» vto H, eluded a 30Dfl-inilo non-ston flight }° Brindsi on the first day but owing to tbe late start Douglas had decided to descend at Dijon. , , The bodies of the airmen were taken to Surbiton mortuary -Aus.-iN. 6. Lame Assn. ANOTHER ACCOUNT, flfce. November 16. 11.10 p.m.) . London, November la. Mr Sedeley, an estate agent, who was „, t cvMritoi of tho Endeavour .crash kates that tho aeroplane was flying a fe ea 'peed at a thousand, feet, and oveiTthng seemed to be going quite smoothly. Then the engine stopped, and iCediately the machine camo to earth aXhrmcd round and round m a spinhad Mien to a height of tho housetops, the p.l(*««M to be attempting to icgnm conlro but it was then too late. There wasi a.teireport, but it is not true that the VM ciugh iiro tno«g' the parta wero saturated with pclrol.-Aus.-JN.>!,. Cablo Assn. ROSS-SMITH AT PISA. (Eec. November IG, 11.10 p.m.) London, November 11. Captain Ross-Smith lias arrived at Pisa—Aus-.-N.Z, Cablo Assn. ■ (Rec. November IG, ll.ifl P-m.) Paris, November 11. Tho Vickers-Vimy machine covered the Lyons stage of five hundred miles in sis and a half hom-8.-Au3.-N.Z. Cablo A»n. PASSENGER AIR EXPRESS. New York, November 13. Admiral Kerr's Handloy-Pngo aero-Chicago.-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. A FORCEDLANDING. • (Rec. November IG, 5.5 p.m.) New York, November 11. Tho Handley-Page machine, was forced to -land at Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania, o°,ing to tho intense cold.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn,