RONGOTAI AIR SMASH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 77, 23 December 1937, Page 3

RONGOTAI AIR SMASH

-Pr»8P Aesociation.i

Inquest into Death of Passenger

(By Teteeruuh -

WELLINGTON, This Day. A finding that Ridley Lenderyou EHiott, aged 22, of Palmerston North. died in the Wellington Hospital on December 3 from multiple injuries sustained through the Manawatu and Middle Districts' Aero Club's Moth plane ZK-ABV crashing near the Rongotai aerodrome on the same date, was given by the Coronet-, Mr. Gilbertson, at the inquest to-day. William Smillie, the pilot, a clerk, aged 19, holder of an A licence, said that after asking deeeased what the eonditions were like on the trip from Pahnerston North, he remoyed from the lnggage lo.ker a canvas bundle containing screw pickets and rope, and placed a suitcase in a locker. He told de ceased, who was going to" sit in the front seat, that the pickets would have to be carried in the front cockpit, and placed the bundle on the front seat. He did not know how deeeased disposed of it. A second eushion out of the pilot's seat was also given to deeeased. Witness fastened his safety-belt, and, as far as he knew, deeeased did the same, as witness asked him through the intercoekpit phone. The engine was not stopped during the seven to ten minutes that the plane was on the ground. They took off. The engine revolutions shortly afterwards showed 1850 to the miuute. At 150 to 200 feet he eased the throttle baek and inade a flat elimbing tuni to the lef- The airs'peed andicatofr then shower the speed as 58 to 60 miles an hour. He com pleted a 180 degree turn and started to adjust the tail trimming gear. He was easing the lever of the trimming-gear back when* -the machipe seemed to tip •nddenly, with the left wing down. He' •ould not zecall what action he then

took but he remembered seeing the ground directly over the nose of the niachine. The nest thing he could recall was struggling to free his right foot after the crasb. He then recalled going forward'to try and move a wing off deeeased, but the wing would not shift. He looked back and saw the machine starting to burn just behind the pilot's cockpit. Witness said he had never before flown at Rongotai. He took off in the same way as he saw decease'd come in. Most of liis training had been done in that niachine and he had flown before with a passenger and luggage. Stanley David Ross, aged 21, who saw the plane as it was about to erash, said he was the first there. He saw the pilot elimbing out and completed the task of releasing the deeeased, who was strapped in and uneonscious, just as the flames began to show. An offieia] inquiry is to be held on January 24.