AEROPLANE TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 41, 12 November 1920, Page 7

AEROPLANE TRAGEDY

.MACHINE CRASHES AT NEW PLYMOUTH CAPTAIN RUSSELL AND TWO PASSENGERS KILLED FALL WITNESSED BY LARGE CROWD

,isr Teleeraßh—Press Association. •' ,/ New Plymouth, November 11. ' • Aj terrible aviation .fatality, involving three deaths, occurred near the Now Plvmouth racecourse shortly after four o'clock this afternoon, wlren Messrs. Walsh Bros. Avro aeroplane, carrying n pilot and two passengers, crashed. Tho machine, was-wrecked-and the three occupants killed. The dead are:— Captain Richard Russell, D.F.C., Croix de Guerre, the pilot. James Clarke, aged forty-one, MayorW New Plymouth. Miss Kathleen Warnock, aged twenty-six.

de Guerre.' He did a consider--able amount ( of might flying at the front, and for some time was flight i leader of his squadron in Prance. Captain Eussell, who was about 2G years of ago, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Eussell, of Inveicargill, and joined tho Aew Zealand Flying School at Kohininrarama at the beginning of 1917, later proceeding to England with a commission as second lieutenant. He joined the E.F.C. and underwent six weeks' training in theory of flight navigation and photography at Eeadimr (Berkshire). From here Captain Eussell joined tho Andover Aerodrome in Hampshire, and gained experience in- flying the service type of machine, and afterwards went to a fighting school at Turnbuijr (Scotland). Here three weeks were 6nent under Major Cuddcn, the well-known fighter, who has the record of bringing down over 100 enemy machines. Captain Eussell proceeded to France with the 108 th Bombing Squadron. The squadron's work was the bombing of Zeebruggc, Ostend, an'd Bruges docks, and all the am. munition dumps and enemy aerodromes back as far as the Dutch frontier nnd south to the line from Lille to Antwerp. They were stationed at Dunkirk (Prance) for a considerable time, and then mired to C'ourtrai (Belgium). In addition to Captain Eussell there was only one other J*ew. Zealauder in the squadron. Lieu. tenantvSloss, who was trained at Sockburn was killed on November ft. 1918, in the last raid before-the armistice. the armistice Captain EusseE returned to Andover ajtd tiok up the latest courso in aorial navigation, dead , reckoning, and the most modern true of wireless navigation. He returned to New Zealand in August. 1919. Captain Eussell later took up commercial flying with Walsh Bros., with whom he had been ever since. The machines controlled by Walsh Bros, 'have been used in the training of over 110 pupils at the schools/and durine this tour over two thousand pnssengers had'been carried,, but to-day was the first occasion on which an accident was. encountered. AN INTREPID PILOT ■ ! SOME-WONDERFUL FLIGHTS :- ". EECALLED. ' ; The late Captain Eussell, who was well known as an intrepid aviator, recently completed a visit of several weeks' duration to Wellington, during which time ha was almost daily engaged in carrying out (lights from Hutt Park. Mnny passengers went up with him. and such was his control over, his machine that it was a matter of remark that ho inspired confidence in even tho most timid of his passengers. He had numerous flights over the city, and Wellington and 'its environs were photographed from tho air for fJe first time from his 'machine. Wellington residents invariably followed his (lights with keen interest, as on more than one occasion ho carried out an intricate 6eries of stunts. Twice he hovered over the Athletic Park and "stunted" to perfection before the gaze of -big crowds viewing representative Eugby games. On these occasions ho imported unusual daring into his work, and- tho crowd held its breath while ho "cork-screwed" and "nosedived" in rapid succession, while by way of .further variety he performed , the 'hazardous feat of looping' tho loop. In the course of those movements he gyrated through many hundreds of feet, of space, recovering his equilibrium with remarkable celerity and precision, only to immediately afterwards further ' demonstrate. his marvellous control over his machine by performing the mysterious manoeuvre known as the spiral'nosedive, in 'the course of which a speed of 200 milrs. an hour was attained. Tho lato Captain Eussell was also noted for his cleverness in diving at comparatively low altitudes, and his skill in "zooming," which was a favourite 'trick of pilots in Franco. A FINE,RECORD The late Captain Eussell had acquired a fine record, having flown from Auckland to Wellington, Wellington to Waiignnui, Wanganui-, to Hastings, thence to Napier and Mastorton, on to Palmerston and. New Plymouth. ' He was to have returned to the Hutt Park at the end of the present month. SIR KEITH SMITH'S VIEWS - THE DANGEES OF LANDING. .. Sir Keith Smith, well known a_s a participant in the pioneer flight from England to Australia, is at present in Wellington. Ho was grioved to hear of the death of a brother flying man, but observed that it was 'the- fate which faced them all. Some'airmen were more fortuuato than others, but the danger of it crash v'jts over present) in their minds. He gathered-*' i'rotn the reports of tho fatality that Captain Eussoll's maohine stalled when making o, landing. That was a thing that often happened. It wda not so dangorous at a good height, for then there was a chance of recovery, but it was fatal near the 'ground. Captain Busell apparently lost flying speed, the machine dropped; .like a stone, nose down, and before ho 'could regain control and re-start his 1 engine, the crash occurred. "I have seen many men killed that way," said Sir Keith Smith. ~ "It is one of tho danaers of landing." ' Speaking of the Avro type of machino such as Captain Eussell used, Sir Keith Smith said it was one of the best machines for instructional and joy-riding purposes. ' It was regarded as pevfeolly safe. Ho hoped tho public would not bo unduly alarmed by this 'fatality, nnd get the idea that flying was a most dangerouis pastime. As a matter of fact, an .aeroplane was no more dangerous than a motor-car when under proper control. Motoring acoidents occurred frequently, but that (did not deter people from riding in motor-cars. Then why should an aviation fatality shake public confidence in aeroplanes?

Tho A.VTO, which arrived here on Monday from Palnierston North, has been en . gaged daily this week on passenger flights from tho racecourse, and Mr. '■ Clarke and Miss Warnock were making a short trip when tho disaster occurred. Prior to the accident, Captain Eussell gave an exhibition of faney flying, but when the accident occurred he was Smlshing an ordinary passenger liight, and was descending. The 'plane had completed its journey, and was descending the racecourse when it wa-> seen to nin'lce a sudden topple and rapidly fall, lmidinp in a naddock not far from the racecourse. When a doctor arrived all the occupants were dead. . The fltelit which ended so tragically itarted iiist as many a. pleasant journey had started before. Besting on the turf of the racecourse, the machine buzzed, with pent-up activity as if eager- to speed away, and then;'■when the passengers had made themselves comfortable; awav-it went over the turf, soon'to rise off the ground into tho air. Flying perfectly, the machine made a circuit of the conv-p. afterwards, flying over the Boys'i High School,'and there turning homewards. Hundreds Watch the Crash. •It was in the next few moments that tho crash came. Hundreds .of people were wntchimr the flight, and they describe how the aeroplane suddenly toppled'and swiftly fell straight down. No doubt: was" left that Hi" 'plane had crashed. The easy, steady flight had in a moment changed to a sudden drop, ' and' people sped to the scene, hoping to heln. and knowing too well what that sudden drop meant. \ .. Recovery—But Too Late, A ladv who was near to the scene ot ■ the disaster toll's what happened in all its tragic simplicity. She savs that when it turned behind the school bnardlnghouse tha aeroplane, now onlv about two hundred foet'off the "round.'and appearing to be but little above Hie. height of .the boardinghouse. seemed to clow down.' and this was more. innrM than usual when tho engine'is shut off. Then It swayed'and tnm.Wed at-an, unen.nnv angle. Tt .was clearly out if control. It was falling, and down it crashed , Something had failed, and in a moment , the exhibition of a day's unique snort ' wpo turned-to trntred-v. The tragedy of it nil is intensified bv what this ladv eve-witi>p*<i tells in conclusion. As the 'plane fell to-Mie tronnd ' out nf control, the emjine suddenly enme ■ on finite distinctly, indicating that con- • trol had been, regained, but ft'was too' ' late.- It dame just before the crash, but ' tins eve-witness believes that if the nm- ' i £ 1,!ul " ot '**" 50 lmv w n<"i t l '" trouble occurred this recovery would ' ham been made in time. ' .'",; , ; Machine in Good Order. tAn inquest concerning tho disaster was i held to-night before the Coroner,-Mr T A.. B. Bailie-. N ' ' , • The first witness was Vivian C. Walsh, ' engineer, of.Auckland, who stated that > Captain Eussell had been in his emplov I for over six months, engaged as a pilot.' He was an expert, and a careful man.. The machine was in thoroughly good order and had made sixteen successful flights'with passengers during that day, ■ also an exhibition flight. The last trip was commenced shortly nftor i o'clock, nnd the occupants were Captain Eussell, Mr. Clark, and Miss Warnock; Captain Eussell did hot say anything about the : machine, and as far as witness knew it was in perfect order. The machine made the> usual course, butWhon turning in to mako a landing the "bank" (the leaning over of the machine) increased as if < it had been struck by a gust of wind. Tho machine went into a spin and continued'thus till it crashed. Atone period it seemed as if the machine was going to straighten, but it did not do 60. When the machine. started to spin it was about- two hundred feet up, boing the usual height which had been observed at this point when descending. An examination of tho machine immediately after the accident showed that the rudder and elevator controls were intact as far as the outside parts were concerned. '.'.". John Maxwell Warnock, brother of one of the deceased, said that he arrived at the ground just as tho machine was leaving. He was told that his sister was ,a'passenger. Ho had had some yours personal experience bb a pilot. Tho run chino took off alright and behaved normally till turning into tho wind to land, when it went into a spin. As lie was not actually looking lit tho machine at the time, he did' not know the cause . of the spin. Personally, he believed the machine was alright. He had seen tho '. same thing happen on numerous occasions to good nmchiues. ' The Coroner's finding was that the accident appeared to have been due to an. unforeseen occurrence. The Coroner remarked that the machine had been in ! good order and had been successfully U6ed in-flights during the day. He add- J ed a rider extending his sympathy to the , relatives of the deceaied. Such occurrences, he said, happened occasionally, j He remarked that this was tho second time he had held an inquest oil a crash, . there having been one at Christchurch two years ago, due to a break ; n tho wires of the machine. ■ / ' The disaster east a gloom over- the town. The picture theatres. were closed 'down, and all fixtures, including a box- , tog tourney, were postponed. j THE" VICTIMS SOME BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS. i New Plymouth, November 11. j Mr. James Clarke died on the anniversary of his election ae Mayor of New Plymouth, and to-night he would have , carried out his intention of resigning I j the Mayoralty. Born at Blenheim forty- ; two years ago, Mr. Clarke entered the ( Civil Service as a youth, and frpm the ( head office of the Lands Department, | Wellington, he was transferred to New j Plymouth about fifteen years, ago. Be- j signing from the service, /he joined, Mr. , B. Gilmour in the firm of Gilmour nnd Clarke, land' agents. Mr. Clarke was a prominent footballer some years ago, end from his first election as a councillor till hia election as Mayor he had always taken a prominent part in local affairs. Mrs. Clarke is now en route to Blenheim, but their two young children are at home. Miss Kathleen Vera Warnock was the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warnock, of Hospital Eoad. New Plymouth, 'arid "was'twenty-six years of age. She had been employed in Eotonia for some time, and had only been in New Ply- • mouth for a few months. She had pjissed the qualifying examination as a chemist, and was in the employ of a local pharmacy. Mr. nnd Mrs. Warnock resided at Nelson for a time, but to-tii-rned to New Plymouth about two years ago. The pilot of the aeroplane, Captain ■Russell, was on* of the New Zealandtrained aiirmen who saw service in Enropa. Ho was the holder of the Disttnyuisbed Plying Cros» and the Crolz