AEROPLANE CRASH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3013, 20 March 1926, Page 3

AEROPLANE CRASH.

INQUIRY TO BE HELD.

Christchurch, March 18.

It seems well established that the aeroplane was flying at a very low altitude. Hundreds of people were watching and admiring the machine and the skill of the pilot. They applauded his stunting, with little expectation that a tragedy not parelleled in the history of flying in Canterbury was to be enacted almost before their eyes. The pilot began stunting over the Papanui township. He then went through a half-roll and into a spin when nose-diving. At this stage the watchers below became apprehensive of tragedy. There was something foreboding in that dive. Before long the watchers knew that a crash was coming. The roar of the enginje came again, then a sudden silence, and at last a grinding crash. Tko terrific impact was heard a mile away. An eye-witness stated that he lived over a mile from the scene of the crash, and was watching the stunting aeroplane from his back door. He saw it loop the loop, and come very low down. After it had gone over in a “cart wheel” it went spinnig down to the earth. He knew that it would never rise again, when he saw it start to spin first. The spin was not like the ordinary spin which he had witnessed many times. A man who lived near the orphanage told a similar story. He thought that the aeroplane was too low to be stunting. He saw it dive, and heard the roar of the engine eonie too late to carry the machine up again. He helped to extricate the pilot, who had one foot strapped to the floor and was crushed among 'the iron and wooden framework of the cockpit. He thought that Captain Horrel had died instantaneously, and his last effort had been to guide his machine clear of the orphanage buildings. He considered that the pilot knew he was crashing to his death, and did his utmost to save others from injury. He just managed to Clear the orphanage building, and struck the earth about three yards from it. Whether the pilot a soldier to the last, deliberately steered clear of the orphanage building lest the inmates should be hurt, or whether the aeroplane was hopelessly out of control and just chose its own course, no one could say. In the dormitory, no more than five yards away from the point where the machine struck the ground, slept a little child, four years of age. She was still asleep when the machine made its terrible plunge. , INQUEST OPENED. An inquest on Captain Horrell and T. L. Reid was opened this morning at the hospital. Captain. Findlay, officer in command of the Wigram Aerodrome, gave evidence of identification. William Edward Horrell said his brother visited Rangiora at 3.30 p.m. yesterday to attend the funeral of an uncle, and then returned to the aerodrome to fulfil an engagement. His brother was an experienced pilot. He had been injured in the fighting on Gallipoli. The inquest was adjourned. CAUSE OF'CRASH UNKNOWN. The aeroplane was examined prior to the flight by a sergeantmechanic and was passed as airworthy. The actual cause of the crash is unknown, but a thorough inquiry will be held. MILITARY COURT TO INVESTIGATE. Christchurch, Last Night. A military Court of Inquiry will conduct an official investigation into the aeroplane crash on Wednesday, by which Captain Horrell and T. L. Reid lost their lives. Captain Wilkes, Director of Aviation, will make an inspection of the engine of the wrecked aeroplane before the inquiry opens. The Court will be presided over by a senior officer and three air officers.

Lieut. Turner, the injured survivor, is making good progress in Christchurch hospital, though he is still very weak and shaken. The inquiry will not take place until he is well enough to assist the Court with his evidence.