A FATAL CRASH

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 33, 9 February 1931, Page 8

A FATAL CRASH

TRAGEDY AT WAIROA

MAIL AEROPLANE WRECKED

THREE MEN KILLED

: (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) i | , GISBOBNP., Bth Fobruaiy. 'Disaster followod disaster When shortly after noon to-day a Dominion Airlines monoplane crashed within a mile of the town, three persons being killed. The victims were:—• FLIGHT-LIEUT. IVAN ' LOUIS KIGHT, barrister,, of Dannevirke, a director of Dominion Airlines. WALTER' FINDLAY, a well-known business man, of Gisbqrrie, where he owns a largo bakery and catering business. . W. C. STBAND, Brunswick street, Lower Hutt, who was a representative of A. S. Paterson, Ltd., and son of the ex-Mayor of Lower Hutt., The aeroplane left Gisborno, at 1.15 p.m. with instructions to drop at Wairoa a bag containing telegrams. From what can be gathered at pre- ■ sent, the aeroplane dropped a bag and rose again. It then banked, the engine stalled and the machine nose-dived into the side of the road near a Public Works camp, one mile from the Wairoa bridge. When spectators, reached the Spot, the aeroplane'was found to ba,ve turned completely over^ with the nose buried deep in the ground. Men worked feverishly, breaking away a portion of the right wing to get to the occupants, but it was too late. Two of the victims were killed outright, but one was breathing, and died within a fevy minutes. ' - . ■ The crowd was kept back and a cordon formed, pending the arrival of tho police, ship's doctor oil the Northumberland, who had been marooned here, also arrived, but could do nothing. ' Tho bodies were removed to the Public Works Department's stores. ..; The 'plane was a Dosoutter cabined monoplane, registered ZK—ACA, and arrived at Gisborne from Hastings about midday to-day and departed for Hastings about 12.45 p.m.-, The same machine, piloted by Flight-Lieu tenant Bolt, has performed excellent service in maintaining communication between Gisborhe and^ the outside since the 'quake. ~ Flight-Lieutenant Bolt was olily- relieved from his duties to-day, and Flight-Lieutenant Kight took over the day's trip. It had been intended] to return to Gisborno with mail matter later in the afternoon. On the arrival of the machine on Saturday, Flight-Lieutenant Bolt said that he' had never had a wojSe trip,' bumping occurring all the way, and ho went to the length of stripping himself/in for tho return trip to Hastings-' on Saturday. - J Mr. Findlay was. a popular business man of the town. Ho had been in Napier attending to business interests there, and returned, to Gisborne on Saturday night, leaving again to-day for the devastated area to make .arrangements for bread supplies. He is survived by a'widow and two sons.