CRASH INTO SEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24227, 20 February 1940, Page 6

CRASH INTO SEA

BAFFIN BOMBER TRAGEDY EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST MACHINE APPARENTLY OUT OF CONTROL (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb, 10. Inquests into the deaths of the airmen who were killed when a Baffin bomber crashed into the sea at Waimairi on February 5 were held before the coroner (Mr E. C. Levvey) this morning. The victims were Flightlieutenant Arthur Darvall Poulton, aged 40, of West Eyreton, Air-gunner William James Reynold Strachan, of Roxburgh, and Aircraftsman (Eirst Class) Douglas Haig Birbeck, of B&r----badoes street, Christchurch. An open verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned in each case by the coroner, who stated that the men had died as a result of injuries received when an aeroplane in which they were flying crashed into the sea. George Whiting said he was almost opposite the aeroplane, and he saw it circle two or three times. He saw the machine dive, and there was an explosion preceded by a puff of smoke before the aeroplane hit the water. The airmen on the beach did everything possible to reach the aeroplane when it crashed. The officer in charge of the Air Force beach party, Flight-lieutenant Henderson, said that Flight-lieutenant Poulton’s machine had been engaged in message-dropping operations. He saw the machine make two complete circles and begin a third at a height of about 1000 feet. As the machine was turning left to the sea, he saw it nose dive about 300 or 400 feet and then make a complete spiral turn and crash about 500 or 600 yards from the shore. Men went out to the machine, which was still floating. A member of the beach party, Norman Lewis Augustus Howard, said he saw the crash, and the engine was going all the time. He heard a muffled explosion. There was nothing hanging from the machine to show it was not airworthy, and the aeroplane appeared to go down completely out of control. After the machine had dropped all its signals, it went' down the beach twice, said Allan Robert Osment, an air-gunner. The aeroplane turned, and he thought it was making for the aerodrome when it turned and fell forward and down. After the crash there was an explosion. He swam out to the machine, but found that the aeroplane had been so badly damaged that the men had been thrown out and he could find no trace of them.