Two Planes Crash

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 876, 21 January 1930, Page 9

Two Planes Crash

SEVENTEEN KILLED IN AMERICA Machine Returning From Races PASSENGERS TRAPPED IN FLAMES United r. A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Received g.,3 a.m. SAN FRANCISCO, Sunday. A SHOCKING flying tragedy is reported from San Diego, Califoriria. Fourteen persons were killed when an airplane en route I rom Aguas Calientes, Mexico, crashed in flames. There was not one survivor.

The killed include two pilots. The scene of the crash was 10 miles south of Oceanside, between Los Angeles and San Diego. A message from San Clemente, California, says a furious squall from the Pacific, which arose so suddenly that the pilots had no chance to escape the danger, was blamed today by the Air Board for the crash. It was the greatest tragedy in the history of American commercial aviation. The airplane was returning from Aguas Calieute, a Mexican wateringplace, and was proceeding along the coast when a high wind pressed the machine to a low altitude, finally tipping it. As it dragged along the ground the petrol tanks were torn open, spraying the volatile liquid over the hot motors, causing an immediate explosion and fire. GROUND TORN UP An eyewitness says the motor of the machine was “missing” and the pilot made a desperate effort to reach the seashore. Everyone knew something was wrong when the great airplane, heavily laden, went careering along only 200 ft above the ground, wobbling like a wounded bird. The pilot, however, could not quite make the beach. There was a crash

and a spray of earth-flow as if a giant plough was tearing up the countryside. A second later there was an explosion and the wreckage burst into flames, causing the worst single disaster in the history of American flying. The airplane was a tri-motored Fokker, known as a race special. It had left the racecourse at Aguas Calientes at 5.30 p.m. after the last race. CRASH INTO WATER FLORIDA TRAGEDY AMATEUR FLYERS KILLED NEW YORK, Sunday. Another fearful air accident occurred near Palm Beach, Florida. Mr. William Lindley, a wealthy amateur flyer, and two mechanics were killed when a new seaplane fell into Lake Worth. One wing folded back and put the machine out of control. The engine was still roaring when the airplane struck the water. Two passengers were seriously injured.