CRASHED!

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 412, 21 July 1928, Page 10

CRASHED!

Sydney Moth’s Fall New Zealander Injured MACHINE TOTAL WRECK The pilot of a D.H. Moth airplane and a passenger were very seriously injured at Sydney last week when the machine got out of control and crashed into a paddock at Bourke Road, Alexandria. The machine struck with terrific force, the nose burying itself in the ground, and the airplane turning completely over, with the tail resting on a barbed wire fence. A man who witnessed the accident rushed to the ’plane, and, fearing, that it would burst into flames, dragged the pilot, who was unconscious, and his passenger, from amidst the wreckage. Those injured were: John N. Rookledge (pilot), aged 2S years, married, of Woolwich Road. Hunter’s Hill, concussion, shock, probable fracture of skull and face bones, right eye badly lacerated, both eyes badly contused and swollen, and teeth knocked out. Waited Gaddum (passenger), a visitor from New Zealand, staying at Wentworth Hotel), compound dislocation of right knee joint, with bad puncture of the joint, burns over body, lacj erations over face, punctured wounds j of upper and lower lips, abrasions and ! lacerations of legs and arms, and proi bable fracture of left leg. Flight Over Harbour It is understood that the 'plane made i a flight over the harbour, and was returning to Mascot airdrome when the disaster occurred. Though the pilot, John N. Rookledge, when he regained consciousness, stated that he could not give any account of the accident, an eye-witness, Mrs. King, stated that the engine was not running when the airplane made its sudden descent. Mrs. King, whose cottage adjoins the paddock in which the ’plane crashed, said that her attention was attracted to the ’plane by the fact that the engine was not running as it approached from the south. The ’plane gradually got lower and lower, half circled over her house, and dived into the paddock, being smashed practically to matchwood. With her brotlier-in-law, she rushed to the scene, reaching the ’plane simultaneously with Mr. P. Tasker, a gardener, who had been working nearby. While the men extricated the two injured men from the -wreckage, Mrs. King ran to a neighbour’s house and notified the ambulance, later returning with stimulants. Both men were very badly injured, the pilot being unconscious, and they

were removed to Royal South Sydney i Hospital and admitted. Dr. F. W. Smith, superintendent of the hospital, who attended the injured men, said that both were very seriously injured. It was probable that the pilot would lose his right eye. and that Mr. Gaddum would suffer a per. manent disability of his right leg Although the 'plane did not catch fire, Mr. Gaddum received burns over j the body. Mr. Tasker also received a severe burn on one of his arms when he was rescuing the pilot. The burn was probably caused by his arm coming into contact with the exhaust pipe of the machine. It was stated that Mr. Gaddum. who t is a sheep farmer in New Zealand, was j on a visit to Sydney with his sister, j They were to • have returned to New ; Zealand at the end of the week. Mr. Rookledge is an ex R.A.F. pilot, and is said to be a very capable as j well as a careful aviator. The 'plane was a new machine and was purchased in Melbourne about a j month ago at a cost of £BOO. It was j not Insured. It Is stated that its ! condition is beyond repair. i