PLANES COLLIDE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1933, Page 2

PLANES COLLIDE

MISHAP ON LANDING FIELD. TWO MACHINES DAMAGED. AUCKLAND, January 25. Two moth aeroplanes belonging to the Auckland Aero Club wore damaged as the result of a collision before they took off for Dargavillc this morning. Both machines were unoccupied, and the accident occurred when one machine on being started, swung round violently and collided with tlie other.

Six machines—five Moths belonging to the Club, and a privately-owned sports model Avb'mUAvdre lined up on the landing field preparatory to being flown to Dargavillc to take part in the official opening celebrations of tlie Dargavillc Ae'.'o Club. The pilots and passengers were not in the machines, which were being warmed up for the flight- by the ground engineer, Air F. A. N. North.

On approaching a metal machine which was alongside the Blue Aloth, Air North made sure that the throttle lever was in a closed position. He switched on the engine and swung tho propeller. Although the throttle lover was in the correct position, however, the control had evidently jammed, as the machine commenced to move forward as soon as the engine fired. Air North, who was standing directly in front cf the fast-revolving air-screw, jumped quickly out of the way and seized one wing-tip to prevent the machine from running away, and colliding violently with a fence, where it would almost certainly have been wrecked. Unfortunately, the ground- engineer could not reach the switches to stop the motor, the machine swung round with great violence, the wing just grazing Air North’s head, and inflicting a slight scratch on one ear. Both machines were damaged, but not -seriously. Immediately the machines were locked together, ATr North was able to switch off the motor of the metal machine.