TRAGIC FLIGHT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 364, 27 October 1932, Page 5

TRAGIC FLIGHT

(Press. Assn.-

MISSING 'PLANE . STRIKES TOP OF. HILL IN MIST MACHINE TOTALLY WRECKED

-By TelegTC.ph — Cccy.clght).

Wellington, Wednesday. The Wellington Aero Club's Moth 'plane, ZK-AAZ, which failed to arrive at Rongotai yesterday afternoon, was found wrecked on top of Colonial Knob, which is a trig station on the hills to the north of Tawa Flat. The pilot, Mr. F. Gressier, and his companion, Mr. G- B. W. King, were killed in the crash. The discovery was made at 5.30 this morning. The 'plane id badly smashed, the engine being torn from the chassis. The bodies were brought into town ahout 9.30. The 'plane was seen at Tawa Flat about 3.45 yesterday afternoon, headed towards Johnsonville, and was reported to have heen seen again half-an-hour later flying towards the point where it was found. Mr. King was married, and was eniployed by Messrs Charles Begg and Company. He Was an jenthusiastic member of the Wellington Aero Club, but was not a pilot. Mr. Gresser has no relatives in New Zealand, his father and mother being in Australia. He bouglit a machine from the Govermnent and learned to fly and obtained a passenger-carry-ing license. He had had from fifty to sixty hours' flying experience.