AEROPLANE CRASH

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 44, 10 April 1930, Page 7

AEROPLANE CRASH

MONQCOUPE WBECKED ON MUD

FLAT.

LOCAL AIB PILOT KILLED AT

POJiIRUA.

Descending from a short flight over the southern reaches of Porirua Harbour Monday morning a Monocou-pe aeroplane, piloted by Mr Morris John Cameron> manager of D.C. Motors, Lower Hutt, crashed! on-the tidal flat near the Titahi Bay Road. -.'" :

Mr Cameron received terrible injuries through being crushed by the engine, which was forced back upon liim as he sat strapped in the cocipit. He was taken by the Free Ambulance to the Wellington) Hospital, where he oded at 5.J50.. Over, thirty people witnessed the crash from a sandy stretch frdm wliieh the 'plane took off and, . after circling over their heads, it struck the ground only about 50 yards from where they stood* . -' "

For several;hours during the morning . the aeroplane had been flown over the locality by the owner., MrO.B.1 Cottrell, of Lower Hutt, who recently imported it from the United States. He piloted it to Poriiua from Gear Island, and) shortly after his arrival-he was joined by Mr Cameron and Mr L. Marigh&m, mechanic. It was his intention to spend the morning practising landing and other movements, as"he v was to have'been tested last evening for a license to carry passengers.

Nearly 30 ascents were made by"Mr v Cottrell, and the aeroplane attracted a number of people to the foreshore, including the children from a nearby primary school, who, 'however^ left just before-.the crash. The tide was out and the sandy stretch used to land and take off was quite firm. " ■

Mr Cottrell was about to return to

Gear Island when it.was agreed.that Mr Cameron, who had obtained a : civil pilot rs, license on March 6, should undertake a flight, He had flown the inachufb' several times before and took off well, , risingto a gooa height and carrying out several movements-with ease. *Theje was ai light north-westerly breeze blowing, across the flats on to,the shoTCan^ a-bouS" ten minutes after the take-off those on the beach saw Mr Cameron head for the southeastern corner of the harbour near the road and turn back to land.

The machine bumped on the . beach* The pilot was apparently not satisfied with his landing, and it seemed that he determined to make a better one, for he took off again and cirele&i overhead. Once more 'he headed south and turned, this time at a height of only about 30 feet. He flattened out to land, but in the opinion of those on the beach who are conversant with aviation : practices he "Stoetched" his'glide and so lost flying speed.

_ Suddenly the small gathering was horrified to see the aeroplane turn straight? down._in a second it had crashed on the soft ground about 40 yards from the road. The nose bored inter .'the surface, and the 'plane came-to.rest in an almost perpendicular position with the tail in the air. ' . .•-—■'„" "* ■'

. Rushng to the scene the watchers found the fore part of the aeroplane completely wrecked. "It" had" been thrust back by the impact, and Mr Cameron, terribly injured, was jammed in a mass of wreckage, with his head pinned on the engine. The small door givirig access to\ the cockpit was torn open, and with difficulty Mir Cameron was" extricated from the wreckage.

News of the accident was sent to the Poritua Mental' Hospital by; Mr D. Prosser, and within a short time ,Dr J. Macky

accompanied 'by two other medical officers and several attendants, arrived and attended to the injured man. as best they could. A report of the crash was reeeiv-, ed by the Free Ambulance at 11.3(X anci within half an hour qne of its~carß hiad made the 15-mile journey and was on the wiaiy back-td the eJtySyith MtCairieron.

On admission to hospital' Mr Cameron was found to be suffering from a fractufed slTull,"'a fraetuTedjjarw r a double

fracture of th^e&T'dreg; 'a fractured cheekbone and severe facial injuries. IJe did net regain consciousness. ->^ ~

An inspection of the wreckeci machme wa^ later madfe; b^ Wing-^mmand^r ». GisßM i»alt««r (fir^ctoriof '^Mnrima^ and Captain <*.^ Bol^T&y ex^r'eUsed the opinion that it was in first-class or-

der and that the accident was not attributable to mechanical or structural defects. : ' i «■*-

Mr Cameron served as an officer.with the Sixth Mounted Bines early iii the war, later being transferred to the Air Force in France, where he was a pilot. He joined the New Zealand Air' Force when it was f ormeoL He held the rank of second-lieutenant and he was 'the holder of the IJew Zealand Service Medal which he was awarded in.l92§. He" was 35 years of age, being quarried, with a family. ' A ... '

Misfortune has attended both aeroplanes imported ;b Mr OottreH. A.machine purchased by him recently was burned in its hangar at Gear Island and the^ Monoeoupe was bought to replace it, It was Mr CottrelFs intention to fly to Hawera and Auckland in a day or two:

The Monoeoupe is a two-seater light monoplane of the cabin type, and pilot and passenger sit alongside each oiheri Ihe^. cabin is" completely enclosed, "the roof being formed by jthe wing, ! which is attached directly to the to^ of the fuselage; The wing is of wood covered with' fabric. • . ~\j/

• The fuselage is a jvelcied steel-tube structure and it has no internalwirebracing. It is very deep beneath ' the wing, to form the cabin and then it narrows sharply both in width, and depth toWards the tail. , • •-

Two large telescopic legs form the undercarriage and the machine is powered by a 45-62 h.p. Lambert five-cylinder radial air-cooleci engine. "Standing seven feet high, the machine has a span of 3& feet^and-a length^of 20 feet.. v .

At the time of the tragedy the Monocoupe was the only American machine

licensed in the Dominion, though there had been two other foreign 'planes, tho German Dornier-Eibelle which crashed at Auckland in December and.Hlled <3aptain- Harkness and a mechanic, and *a previous Monoeoupe .-which. Mr Oottifell haai imported. '

The machine which was wrecked was assembled at Rongotai;, and- first flew at the Wellington Aero Club pageant: oif November 16, when Captain W. F. Parlc© was at the controls. Since then its golden wing^ and black body have been a -familiar sight to residents of the Htitt Valley and the city and suburbs:

-It 'is .understood, that J3ie mishap will be thef subject ot Jaja.^inq\nT^^i^ AirForced branch of 'the Defence:; Department. ; ~ . ' '

Very general regret w~ as expressed when tie news reached Lower Hutt on Monday afternoon jthat Mt: J. M. CJameron had met with a "S&ttd strident ~ whilst flying in -Mr. Cotlerell^'^pl ranG in the neighbourhood of £orirua The late Mr. Cameron was one of the pro« prietors of D.C. Motors and *wa» v&cy well, known in the Hutt .district wieire he had a large circle of friends! lEba genial disposition and tmsinetif ability* commanded the respect of all S|nb;ea&e in contact with him. -Savingserved wii>h distinction as an air pilot during . the Great WaT, Mr. Cameron was fre^ - ' quently .consulted on -t3ie questio^i^ o£~ dn air base for the'Htitt Valley 6na was one of the prime movers in'«nd«av^ ouring to bring this work ;bf progress about. . ~. : "• Mr. Cameron was born in Wellington in 1895: He was the-eldest son of-Sirs Cameron and the late Mr:''M. P. "CMneron formerly of Khandalla^, and latterly of* EelJWarn', a*nS theeiaestfigiaiah . son' bf t3ft? ikte; Sir: John Mcfieif^ft'H*; left New Zealand for' Egypt witta i*e 6th Mounted Rifles. *Afte» * being iaivalided back to New Zealand, h.« returned to Egypt with the 15th Mottated Eifles, and then joined the'Boya'V Air Force. On Ms teturn to the ©ominibm he| carried out refresher- cburse* at SdckbuTn, from- one of which ha t«turneS to WelHngton about \ 'i ortiiigM; ag,b. t:He leaves a widow;,and "":Q*o young ?4&ugliteTS. Messra D. H. Canted iori^MaateiNfbn, and-M. §P, : (Ghri^'ehurcKj-are bfotherSi an:d M-ratf S*j

S. Bolls, Karori is a sister.

It ia weU known to ttose wlio served with him through the Gieat Wax that *

wJock?'.-Caineron was a man TJrat&omb fear, and carried out some sensational bombing raids over the enemy's 'lines.*

To the widow and -family w* extend our sincere sympathy in their great bereavement. V '■'■■ -•■•■■

The iJaneral took place a^ Karori ytt»terday morning, and '-wa&i*rsry la*g&j * attended. , ' . .--»:&