PARKERSON CRASHES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 929, 24 March 1930, Page 1

PARKERSON CRASHES

Australia Flight Checked Early PILOT INJURED-PLANE WRECKED Disastrous Early-Morning Start

AFTER many delays on acc weather, 0. P. Parkerson, yesterday morning, intending crashed in France a few hours Parkerson is not badly damaged. r i United P.A.—Bv Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 11 a m. PARIS, Sunday. The Aucklander, C. P. Parkerson, , i e [t Lympne at six o'clock this morning and crashed in bad -weather near ; Melun, 50 miles from Paris, at 10.30 a.m.

i His machine overturned. Parkerson is not seriously injured, ifiuc the plane is extensively damaged.

An earlier message from London •raid Parkerson went to Lympne airdrome at 4.20 a.m. on Saturday, hop--1 ing to start for Australia, but it was raining heavily, so he returned to bed and did not wake until 8.30 a.m., when the weather was at its best, with a favourable north-west wind. Mr. Parkerson, who was using a Gipsy Moth, hoped to reach Rome on the first day. The machine was fitted up jor a maximum petrol capacity and had P. range of 20 hours. In view of his 1 rojeoted flight from Sydney to Auckland, Mr. Parkerson said he did not think so much of the flying to Australia as the Sydney-Auckland flight, which was his real objective. The machine carried such a quantity of petrol that room was left only for a few sandwiches, a tin of milk and a revolver.

For many years Mr. Parkerson, jwhose home is at Dean Street, Auckland, was a keen enthusiast of flying end although having not actually piloted a plane while in New Zealand, he had many flying hours to his credit fis a passenger in the Wigram Airdrome machines. He had always shown considerable S eenness to attempt the England-Aus-tralia flight in a light plane, lonehanded. but the question of finance had always proved the stumbling block.

The opportunity came about six months ago, however, when he was rent Home on behalf of an Auckland flax company to carry out some business. On his arrival in England he immediately set out to qualify as an ■■A" pilot, and it was on Christmas Day That his brother, Mr. R. L. Parkerson, received a cable from him to the effect -hat he had successfully got through he test for his ticket and intended to make immediate preparation for the big flight. Educated at Ashburton and Temuka, in the South island, Mr. Parkerson, on leaving school, entered the photography business and as a freelancer became well-known throughout both Islands. For some time he carried on business in Rotorua and later came to Auckland, where he resided with his brother, Mr. R. L. Parkerson. at 11 Dean Street, Arch Hill. Mr. Parkerson eventually gave up The photography business and joined up with the firm of Booth, MacDonald. For nearly five years he travelled the Auckland and North Auckland districts

ount of snowstorms and bad an Aucklander, left England to fly solo to Australia, and later. injured, but his machine is

as a salesman of farm implements, later to become the manager of Booth, MacDonald’s Hamilton branch, which position he- held for two years. On returning to reside in Auckland Mr. Parkerson became interested in a flax company, and it was on behalf of this firm, that he was sent to England, where ho secured his “A” licence and intends to fly to Australia. Air. Parkerson is a married man. Mrs. Parkerson at present residing at Hikutaia. I SECRET TAKE-OFF Parkerson’s flight according to a later message from London, was begun from Lympe under conditionsof the utmost secrecy at six o’clock in the morning, but came to abrupt ending at Lizsurouce about 40 miles east of Paris. The machine crashed, overturnd and was wrecket. The pilot escaped with bruises and shock. Parkerson had been waiting for several weeks for a favourable opportunity to leave. The weather showed signs of improvement during the weekend and he decided to make a long Moth plane which he was flying was specially fitted with auxiliary tanks which had been fielled with the intention of making a long hop on the first day. Only half a dozen aerodrome officials were present, as Parkerson had kept all his plans secret. He confided however, that he hoped to beat Hinkler's record. Conditions in the Channel were calm and visibility was good as he took, off perfectly.