“SCARING THE CHOWS”
PILOT’S FATAL PRANK
FLYING OFFICER FOR TRIAL
(Australian ami N.Z. Press Association SYDNEY, Monday.
Sensational evidence was given today at the inquest concerning the death of Mr. Alfred Smith, orchardist. who ~was killed by a Moth plane at Windsor on January 21. The evidence referred to -was to the effect that planes from Richmond airdrome had often flown only 12ft or 15ft above the heads of fruit pickers in the Windsor and Richmond districts. Sarah Woods, a local resident, said she saw the Moth airplane fly 10ft above deceased’s head. Just prior to the accident deceased had taken off his hat and waved to the airmen. Later the machine sw-ooped down again and killed him.
Malcolm Smith, aged 18, son o£ the deceased, said he did not actually see his father killed, but he saw the airplane touch the ground and burst into flames. Flying Officer Somerville some time ago had told him certaiu airmen were in the habit of flying lowover Chinese gardens, “to scare the Chows.’’
The coroner committed Somerville for trial on a charge of having feloniously slain deceased.
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Bibliographic details
Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 580, 5 February 1929, Page 9
Word Count
185“SCARING THE CHOWS” Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 580, 5 February 1929, Page 9
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