AIR FATALITY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 212, 23 September 1937, Page 7

AIR FATALITY

— Press AeBOciation. )

i Inquiry Into Mt. Egmont Crash POOR YISIBILITY

(By Tele'grafih-

WELLINGTON, Laet Night. " An inquiry into the fatal air accident in tho foothills of Mount Egmont, near Stratford, on the morning of June 2, was held to-day. The machine was a Miles Hawk traincr low-wing monoplanc, belonging to the Wellington Aoro Club, en route from Wellington to Now Plymouth, piloted by Mr C. O. Dunford with Mr P. J. Nathan as passenger, who was killed. Dunford, clerk an tne employ of Joseph Nathan and Co., said that he passed his A lieenee test in Februafy, .1.933. His flying time was 34 hours. including three on a Miles Hawk. He produced a certificate of airworthiness lianded to him when he left Wellington and which he was carrying in tho machine. He saw tho weather chart before starting and understood it to be favourable. Otherwise he would not have undertaken the trip. Up to Wanganui couditions wero good, but after that they were less favourable, and from Waverley the air becaine progressively more bumpy, the wind increaeed, and there were clouds. Iri tho Eltham, locality visibility ivas 1^ tos two miles at the outside. He tricd "to keep following the railway lines, but conditions to tho east of the lines did not appear as goocl as thoke to tho west and he erossed over to tho left side of ihe liue on account of tho weather. The rule of thc air was normally to kocp on Ihe riglit-hand side of a fixed visual line. Dr. Foden poiuted out that this was provided for in the regulations with the proviso "so far as it is safe and practicable. " Dunford. continuiug, said tlmt, owiiig to clouds, he was obligod to keep very low to preserve ground visibility, and near Cardiff he decided it would not be

wise to go further. His decision was to turn right back on his tracks. It might possibly have been better to continue on in an easterly direction, but that decision was made after the event. He did not know the land or heights . around that area, but he understood that the highest point was 1100 or 1200 feet. He di.d not know that the Eltham railway station was 750 feet above sea level, Cardiff 1300 feet and Stratford about 1000. His course was bringing him in towards the lower reaches of Mount Egmont and visibility obliged hihi to fly low. Dr. Foden :• Then obviously the safe route was back towards tlie lower .levels? Dunford: Yes. "If you had taken an easterly course back towards Stratford you would have been safe?" — "I can't quite say that. It was not possible to keep more to the east on account of conditions." Dunford said that he knew the Stratford '.drome was two miles north of Stratford, but he was not aware of its exaet locality. Just before making the turn, he saw some pine trees on tho right. As he commenced to turn his right wmg, which was already banked for the turn, struck a bump, the nose dropped, the wing went down further and the speed increased. The turn he was making was a normal one. To increase height would have meant f flying into clouds. He was at maximum ceiling. He felt the wheels graze the ground and the momentum of the machine caused it to clear tlie crest of Ihe hill. It then went out of control. He could not remember whether the motor continued to run after the Iirst shock. It had functioned pcrfectly till then. If conditions had been roported to ltongotai, he did not think he would have been allowed to leave. Plane Out of Control Dunford said that after touching he felt the niaciiine's wlleels loave the ground. He did liis best to liold it in the air, but was unsuccessful. The aeroplane earried on out of control until it hit flnally. He did not think that any ability of his could have held the machine in tlie air after the first contafit. The air bump might have thrown the machine on, to an agle of 45 degrees. '

He paid a tribute to the conduct of ■the Aero Club, and of Mr Nathan 's relatives since the accident. Questioned by the chairman of the inquiry, Mr Stillwell, witness said that . he had received inStruetions to go by way of Stratford. At no stage of the turn did he have to tighten it up or open it up to avoid ground objects. He thought he had completed the turn and was headed back when he touched the ground. . The cdnditions at Hawera were not such as would have- made him land there if he had received instructions to do so in the event of bad weather. Would Have Cancelled Flight Flight-Lieutenant I. E. Rawnsley, chief instrUctor of tho Wellington Aero Club, said his aualysis of the weather reports allowed him to lo.t Dunford proceed, but had he known the Stratford conditions he would have cancelled the flight. Before Dunford took off he gave him advice over a map of v/hat aetion to take if the weather beeame unsuitable, advising him to land at Hawera. He beiieved the reports he had received were not accurate. He was quite satislied with Dunford 's skill in handling the Miles Hawk and his ability as a pilot. Cross-examined by Mr Powles, witness said the factor which influenced him to allow the flight was the 4000ft. ceiling reported from N6w Plymouth, If tho ceiling had been under 1000ft., he wouid not have authorised the flight. Cross-examined by Mr Hardie-Boys, he s»|§ that Dunford was not experienccd enough to handle a 3UU ffc. ceiling. John I'Jctclier Gabites, an oflicer of tho Moteorologlcal D'epartmeiit, said the report from New Plymouth about tlie weather for Dunford 's flight came trom Ihe senior telephone operator of the exehange. There was no guarantee of tho information supplied. Roy champion Kean, chief inspector of aircraft, said that Dunford 's total flying timo for the last 12 months before the accident was 7 hrs. 35 mins., including four liours in the Miics Hawk machine. He said that at 8.3,0 that morning the weather report was received from the Bell Block aerodrome

stating: "Wind north-east, 30 m.p.h., ceiling 500ft.; drizzle." The board compliiucnted Dr. Foden 't conduct of the inquiry and the witnesses for their frankncss. 'Tho. decision was reserved,