'PLANE CRASHES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 335, 23 September 1932, Page 5

'PLANE CRASHES

(Press. Assn.—

STRIKES HOUSE PILOT AND OBSERVER BOTH ESCAPE DEATH MACHINE DESTROYED

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

Wellington, Thursday. A Moth 'plane belonging to the Wellington Aero Club, when returning from the Levin Aero Club's pageant this morning, crashed into a house in Ballance Street, Johnsonville, ahout eight o'clock, and burst into flames. The corner of the house caught fire. The 'plane was occupied by Messrs. A. L. de Tourettes and L. F. P. Taylor, both young men, and members of the Wellington Aero Club. Mr. de Tourettes, apart from shoclc and burns on the face, suffered little injury, bnt Mr. Taylor was extensively burned almost all over the body. He lies in the Bowen Street Hospital in a serious condition. Mr. de Tourettes was able to he taken home. It would appear from the story of one eye-witness that engine trouhle had developed, and that an attempt was being made to land either on the Recreation Ground or on the school playing ground nearhy. and that the pilot was waving for the ground to be clear, but could not obtain a clear landing. The house into which the machine crashed is occupied by Mr. V. A. Mills. The fire was suppressed by the Johnsonville volunteer brigade. None of the inmates was injured. 'Plane Completely Destroyed The 'plane was completely destroyed by the blaze. The engine was left embedded on the verandah of . the house. An eye-witness said the machine came from a north-easterly direction, flying low at a comparatively slow speed. It passed over his house, and then cireled, coming over his house again in a steep left-hand bank. This time the right wing brushed some tall cabbage trees in his garden. The machine continued, and was turning again, the pilot apparently as a last resort endeavouring to land on the road. The right wing struck a power pole and cut the wires down, this slewing the machine round, and it made straight over Mr. Mill's house. Impact With House Severe Allhough striking the power wires must have retarded its speed somewhat the impact with the house was very severe, the machine crashing ihrough the wall of an office on the verandah and bursting through the •vall of the house, throwing a heavy wardrobe in the room on to a bed. This room is the room of Mr. Mills .• enior, who is nearly 90 years of age, hut fortunately he was not in the room at the time. It appears that Mr. De Tourettes. nrior to the engine trouhle dc-velop-ing, was fiyinec the machine from the , haek seat. When the trouhle arose, | Taylor, who is a more experienced ; pilot, took over the controls in front. ;