AUCKLAND AIR CRASH

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1929, Page 6

AUCKLAND AIR CRASH

INTO THE SEA.. TWO LIVES. LOST. (By Telegraph—Press Association). AUCKLAND, Dec. 12. A Dornier Libelle flying boat, pilot ed by Donald E. Harkness, who had as his companion, Charles F. Goklsbro, crashed into the sea off Milford at 5.40 o’clock this evening. The flying boat was imported about two months ago by Aerial Services Limited, an Auckland company, registered only this week, in which Harkness and his brothers had the main interest. It had made several flights in and about Auckland harbour. Harkness, who was a son of the late Mr G. A. Harkness, Inspector of Schools at Nelson, was Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the' Auckland University College. He served with the Royal Air Force in the Great War gaining the rank of captain, and won a distinguished service cross for bombing a Zeppelin shed near Brussels. He was aitenvards forced down in Holland and was interned, hut paid a visit to New Zealand on parole in 1917, later returning to Holland. He spent some time in America after the War, and married an American girl. There are two young children. GoTdsbro’s age was thivty-eiglit. He was engaged last week by the company as its engineer. He was a keen out-! board motor enthusiast, and was well known as a motor expert. He lived at St. Helier’s Bay.

How the tragic accident happened is not known, and seeing that the only two who could tell are dead, it probably will never he known. Many residents of Devon port and Taka pun a saw the flying boat as it flew fairly low from its base, in Mechanics’ Bay, over part of Devonport into Rangitoto Channel. According to reports, it was at a height variously estimated at from three hundred to six hundred feet when die spectators were horrified to see it go into a spin when turning, and plunge in a nose-dive into the sea. It sank immediately.

Three or four small boats put out from Milford Beach. Two young men who had rowed out in a dinghy, could see the flying boat beneath the surface. and they dived overboard. They fetl the arm of one man, but he seemed to' be strapped to his seat. They could not release him. Later the Water Police arrived, and eventually the flying boat was dragged to the beach by a Harbour Board launch. It was then that Gold*' ■ bodv was also found in the machine.

The right wing and rudder of the flying boat were badly smashed, and the pilot’s seat was wedged in the bow of the boat, making-ft difficult to get the pilot’s Ixxly out.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. AUCKLAND, Dec. 13. Comparatively few of those who saw the flying boat as it approached the north shore, guessed the actual tragedy, trees and houses hiding it, except to those who were on or near the beach. Among those who saw it dive into the sea was Mrs McTnncs. She was standing on the beach with another woman. Tt appeared to them that the engine stopped as the machine was turning;, and they formed the opinion that the pilot intended to land; Then, when the spin developed, they thought the pilot was stunting. As the machine isbot perilously near the water, they realised it was out of control. It was then that they beard two explosions as though the engine had back-fired, the second report coming from the engine vvTie.ii the flying boat was near the water. Mrs McTnncs rushed to the water’s edge, and after sending one of her children for help, launched a dinghy which was lying on the beach. "While she was doing this two men arrived and jumped into the dinghy, and accompanied by a boy they rowed rapidly to the scene of the tragedy, several hundred yards ( from the shore. Part of the black hull was visible to those on shore. One mail who immediately secured a pair of glasses plainly saw an arm reach up as though one of the trapped men was trying to lift himself up. The effort, was fruitless, for although lie tried for several moments to extricate himself, lie sank back and disappeared, as the hull subsided.

When the first of the rescuers reached the scene, the flying boat was still afloat, hut the weight of the engine was gradually submerging the foi'Pj. part. The cockpit of the upturned craft was several feet below the surface of the water. The first attempts .at rescue were made by Stanley .Bacon and Marry Abbott, members of a life saving team who had gone out in swimming costumes. Diving under the flying boat they attempted to release one of the men by grasping his'arm, hut although he scorned to move 1 a little, all their efforts were insufficient to sdl him free. At this time it was not known whether anyone had been in the much i no besides the pilot, and those who wore attempting the rescue were able to detect the presence of only one man. A life saving line which had been brought out in one of the boats was attached to the tail of the wrecked craft, when it became apparent that the occupant or occupants, could not bo released, an attempt was made to tow the flying boat to shore. This was soon seen to he impossible as if

began to sink more rapidly, and as a final resort those in swimming costume tried to right it by putting their weight on one wing. In five or ten minutes from the arrival of rescue parties, the flying boat bad sunk ip about thirty feet of water. Fortunately its position was definitely, located by the attached rope. Properly organised efforts to release the. airmen from the wrecked flying boat became possible only with the arrival of the harbour board launch, Orcal, in the command of Harbourmaster. Considerable difficulty was experienced in raising the submerged flying boat and when this had been accomplished, nearly two hours after the crash had occurred, it was not possible to ieleasc the pilot and his companion until the machine had been taken on to the beach. The flying boat was badly damaged. One propellor blade was snapped off short and the whole of the .nose had been driven hack on to the cockpit. A wing had fallen in, and the bodies of the two men were locked beneath the heavy weight of the wreckage. The work of extricating the bodies was particularly difficult and a crowd which persisted in 'thronging eflose to the machine made the task no easier. When the wing was lifted, it was found that a heavy boulder had lodged between it and the men beneath the nose ot the machine. It had also locked tile men securely in place so that they had no hope of freeing themselves after the crash. On being removed from the damaged machine, the bodies were taken to a nearby shed, later being taken to the mortuary at the Auckland hospital.