Plane Crashes Into Sea

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 72, 12 April 1937, Page 6

Plane Crashes Into Sea

•Presn Aasociation.)

MACHINE WRECKED Pilot Has Lucky Escape RESCUED FROM SURF

(By Telegraph-

(tKB Y MU U JL-ti, April 11. Crashing into the sea 200 yards off Blaketown Beacb, Greymouth, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, a HD Gypsy Moth, on loan to the West Coast United Aero Club from tlie Government, and piloted by Mr. Ivan Quinney, was badly damaged.. The pilot, who is a waterside worker, aged 36, was the only occupant of the machine, and he miraculously escaped with "a scalp wound on the front of his head. His condition this evening was satisfactory. He was rescued by Mr. E. Price, a member of the Blaketown Surf Club, who had a very difficult struggle aguinst the rough sea before he reached the machine. The aeroplane 1iad been in the air only five minutes and the pilot was practising vertical turns at a Leigh t of about 800ft. to 1000ft. It is thought he was overcome by giddiness or that the . aeroplane was caught in its own slipstream while making a turn as it went into a spin. Mr. Quinney was able to pull the machine out of this, but immediately it went into a second one. The piifit, exercising great presence of mind, again regained control .and gave the engine a burst of speed, but , had to cut it off* as the aeroplane dived mto the sea in a fast glide. It sank in about 12ft. of water, and then floated to the surfaee. Fortunately the pilot had not lost consciousness and he was able to unstrap himself and climb on to the tail, clear of the water. Msmbers of the surf club soon arrived with a xeel and after unsuccessful attempts by several, Mr. Price took. the belt and after a strenuous fight against the sea reached the aeroplane about 10 or 15 minutes after the accident. The floating wreelcage made it exceedingly difficult for kim to take Mr. Quinney off, but eventually he succceded, and on nearing the shore he was assisted by Mr. G. Scott to bring Mr. Quinney in. Medical attention wad gxven to the pilot on the beach, and he was then taken to hospital. The aeroplane had drifted in about 50 or 100 yards by the time the rescue was completed, and a line was made fast and the machine pulled up on the' beach by members of ihe large crowd which had gathered.' 3 The wings had been forced back against the fuselage by the impact with the water. One half of the pro* peller was broken off, the tip on th other end smashed off* and the rudde* and right elevator badly broken. The engine had been pushed ottt of place and parts of the canvas had been damaged by the waves. The aeroplane was dismantled "as much as possible and taken to the clubhouse, This is the second aeroplane the club has lost, another machine having erashe"cl at 'Waiho on June 20, 1935. The aeroplane which crashed to-day, ZKADZ, had been in the air only since last Tuesday, when repairs to the damage which it received in an accident at Hojritika several weeks ago were completed. The club's other machine, ZKAAZ, is at present being inspected for a certificate of airworthiness, and will be about two weeks before completed. Meantime the club has no machine for training, and this delay, together with the recent one of a month ago, will be a big loss to iho club. Mr. Quinney has an endorsed cortificate for passenger-carrying, has had about 50 or '60 hours flying experience, and is considered to be a very capable and careful flyer. He had his first flying lessons with the Canterbury club , in 1930, and has been a member of tha West Coast club since its inception.