AN INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1932, Page 6

AN INQUEST

ON AIR 'TRAGEDY VICTIMS'. (Per Press Association — Copyright .) WELLINGTON, October 28. .An inqu'est on the two airmen, Gresser and King, was held to-day. After hearing the evidence ly Squadron Leader Stedman, Constable Tocher of Johnsonville, . Captain Bolt and A. W. Nisbet, Cbroner Gilbertson returned a verdict that the l men sustained fatal fnfimdes iwhen theitir* Aoroplane .orggilifid. into,, a, hilL.,, .Jt., il .W£?k : ,orie of those unfortunate accidents that happen in flying. The pilot in this case had apparently taken a. chance. He should have followed 'the instructions of Bolt regarding the route hut had not done so, and had flown into the hill at a. terrific rate and both men had been killed l iiisthutandpiisly. In the course of evidence Stedman said ho considered Greaser a safe enough pilot in good weather, but he would be rather unreliable in case of extreme emergency.

Stedman mentioned that tlie weather conditions were all right from Paekfikiairiki nWrth, bult Between tbefle and Wellington the clouds were low particularly at .Tohnsonville, where they were right on the top of the hills. Three other machines had got through from 1 New Plymouth but had crossed the range of hills farther north, and had flown down Hutt Valley. Stedman said there was no occasion for Gresser to have gone into the clouds.

Bolt, gave evidence of landing at Wanganui and meeting Gresser, who was then waiting for a belter weather report from Wellington. Witness told him to wait at Palmerston until witness rang him from Wellington. After he got through, v-itness got in touch .with Gresser at .Palmerston, and told him that he liad got through quite easily into Uppep Hutt. The actual crossing of the hills was made over a lpw saddle where Moonshine Road goes. Witness told Gresser to try trat route, and .if he could not get through there to try the usual route, and if he could- not get through there, +0 come down the eoa.-'t. Gresser was Sound under the ru' eg of the Club to follow witness’ instructions. He also told Gresser if ho got into any difficulty to return to Levin. Witness, to the Coroner, said it was unite all right for Gresser to come down the Johntsonville route, but lie couki not understand him flying into the clouds. When Mr Nisbet, secretary of the Aero Club, was proposed ns a witness, * Coroner remarked that (he was satisfied that the Club was not. .to blame in any way. It seemed to him that the man was an embryo flyer and did; not know, enough, and lost his head.

After Ni'dvet had given evidence, the Coroner said that there was no doubt that the officials of the O'-ub had done al;l in their power to give tf-'e flyer! information n« to weather conditions, and tli e right course to take, .and subsequently to find them.