AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1927, Page 2

AVIATION.

'Australian Press Association & Sun. AIR DISASTER. BERLIN, Sept. 23. There have resulted six deaths from an aeroplane accident at Schletz, which was the worst crash .in the history of German, civil aviation. The German Ambassador - to Che United States, Baron Von Maltza, also the Traffic Manager of Lufthansa, a high railway official, a passenger and the pilot were killed and a mechanic seriously injured in the crash. A huge passenger plane,- which was engaged for some months in the Luft-hansa-Berlin-Munich service, was en route to Munich, and she was passing over Schletz, when she developed a defect. Her pilot appeared to try to land. Some say that a wing broke off. Others report there was an explosion. followed hv a sheet of flame from the engine, aft"’- which a wing became detached.

When at a height of five hundred feet the plane spun earthwards, and it overturned ablaze when it had fallen to three hundred feet. It- was an inferno when it crashed in pieces, under which the occupants were imprisoned, all being fearfully scorched and mutilated. The mechanic, Felier, was just alive, and soon expired. The others npnnrcnti'" were killed Instantly. The cause of the disaster is a, mystery. The plane was overhauled before sailing and was certificated as airworthy. Tt had not entered the treacherous mountain zone when it collapsed. Baron Von Maltza was on a holiday from America. He had conferred with President Von Hindenburg and members of the Cabinet. He bad arranged to return to New Tork on October 7th. He was en route to Munich to rejoin his wife and little daughter.

The others killed were. Herr Von 'A."iiin. Luthansa’s Mechanical Director: Herr Roell (Director of the Reich Railways)- the pilot (who had flown on the route for months) and also an apprentice pilot. It is recalled that Baron Von Maltza came into diplomatic prominence aj the originator of the Rnpallo Treaty. He had a disagreement in 1914 with the Kaiser, who rejected his proposal to code Tsingtate to Japan, and to prevent the latter’s entry into the war.