PLANE CRASHES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1930, Page 6

PLANE CRASHES

ISE\Y PILOT’S;B^iiUCK

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.!

WELLINGTON, June 24

A two-seater dual-control De Haviiand Moth aeroplane crashed in Calabar Road, in the vicinity of the Rougotai Agrodrome at 3.45 p.m. today.

Tlie pilot was -Mr T. Mulligan. He was uninjured, although the machine was badly damaged. The undercarriage. propellor and three of its wings were broken. Mr Mulligan made his first solo flight some little time, ago, and he was on his third flight to-day when the accident..,occurred,. . Capt. 0. L. Steelman. Instructor to the Aero Club, had been up with him this afternoon, and had gone through a few landings before-’Allowing him to fiv solo.

Captain Stodnian remarked to him that the north-easterly wind appeared to he about to change to the south. While Mulligan was up alone, the wind switched round suddenly, and it became squally, but tlie pilot attempted to land as if it were still from the north east quarter. He opened out, and arose again, hut he tried once more to come down in the same direction. His wheels were on the ground and he was actually taxiing, when lie became afraid, apparently that he wc mg to hit. the Miramar Golf C'-li hoii-m. TTe endeavoured to rise m ain. and he managed to clear the f •>'■(> and fm f -legraph wires on th" nrn’ii i- »--d.- Then he began a wild career the house tops, and lie headed for a' neighbouring hill in an attempt to avoid crashing into a house While on the way. he managed to floe through between the telephone lighting and the power wires on to the Calabar Road, where the right landing wheel collapsed. The machine swung round, and eventually ended on its nose..

Widlio-nn then unstrapped hims'Tf and climbed out of the plane unin-•-nred. Tim machine is a new one ’>hl it has been lent to the Club hv 1 bi> Government. During the three weeks that the eluh has had it the aeroplane has spent 30 hours in the