Air Race Tragedies

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1035, 28 July 1930, Page 9

Air Race Tragedies

FOUR DEATHS IN BIG EVENT Two Week-End Crashes CLOSE FINISH IN CIRCUIT OF EUROPE FOUR deaths have occurred in connection with the circuit of Europe air race, which has just been completed. Two machines crashed on Saturday when a German pilot and a passenger and also a French pilot were killed. A German mechanic was killed several days ago.

United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 12.5 p.m. LONDON, Sunday. One o£ the German airplanes engaged in the race round Europe was landing at the airdrome at Lyons when it was caught in a wireless aerial, and crashed. The pilot, Herr Offermann, and a passenger, named Terzemeski, were killed. Another tragedy in connection with the race occurred at Lausanne, where Captain Staub decided to fire a signal to help a French pilot to land in bad weather. The signal gun exploded in Captain Staub’s face, and he died of his injuries. A mishap befell Alan Butler on landing at Posen yesterday in the race, and although he was uninjured, the propeller of his machine was damaged, and he was unable to leave for Warsaw.until it was repaired. He was the first to reach Posen, but owing to the delay the German pilot Poss took the lead at the next station, Warsaw. Four British pilots were among the ten competitors who left Warsaw for Konigsberg before noon today.

Broad completed the circuit of Europe by arriving at Templeof airdrome, Berlin, three minutes before Butler, who was automatically disqualified because he fitted a new propeller. Thorn followed soon afterward, and the next were Andrews (England). Morzig, Poss, Pasewaldt (Germany). Finat (France), and the Archduke Hagsburgbourdon (Spain). All of them arrived five days before the closing date. On July 22 the mechanic of a German airplane piloted by Von Certzen was killed. He was climbing out of the airplane to rush to the controlshed at Heston when he was struck by the propeller. FLYING OFFICERS KILLED CRASH NEAR ADEN LONDON, Saturday. The Air Ministry announces that Flying-Officer Geoffrey Pilcher and Air J Craftsman Robert Laidler crashed near Aden and were killed.