IN THE AIR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3339, 18 November 1919, Page 6

IN THE AIR.

‘ ALLIANCE. DISASTER. .. at)---’“ TRAGIC FATE OF GALLANT ’ ‘ - AVIATORS.g ' ' _ LONDON, Nov. 14. Details of the disaster to the Alliance aeroplane, in which Captain Douglas and Lieutenant Ross started a. flight to Australia, and ‘which, falling at Surbiton, was wrecked and both aviators killed, are necessarily scanty. Eye-Witnhsses lremarked ‘on the Irachine’s low altitude, when suddenly‘ the engines stopped, and the aeroplane nose-dived into -an orchard, half '3. dozen miles from the Sfafting point. Within a. few minutes neighbours hastened to the spot‘. 0131101’ assistance was summoned, but it was I discovered that both men were killod~ The/airlnen‘s cheery confidence that their flight would prove successful, and their ‘firm trust in the capabilities of their engine and machine, add poignancy to the disaster. Both men chatted freely ‘at Hounslow with the Australian press representative, who was one of the last to shake hands ivith‘ them and wish them good luck as they entered their m'a.chine, which was equipped with every possible comfort for a long journey, including leather upholstered arrnehairs. The «airmen were somewhat disappointed that they could not make an earlier start, but a light snowstorm in London and adverse I weather reports indicating fog over the Channel and northern France, prevented them carrying out their original ; programme, The ‘Channel floig sud-I denly lifting, however, enabled a start ' to be made at 11.33. When the] machine was wheeled about prepara-I tory to the start, the sun burst out

brilliantly, and the onlookers warmly congratulated the airmen on the good omen. "The latter responded cheerfully and waved 3. final farewell from the fuselage Windows. The snow made the ground heavy in bontrast with the hard frost of ‘the previous day. The ‘machine failed. to take off cleanly, and even when it left the ground it rose slowly, and almost disappeared as if it would lcollicle with -the ltrees. The machine circled round the aeroclrome twice, but was still only a few feet‘ up, ‘and some onlo-ckers questioned whether the em'ergene.y foodstuffs and various equipnlent carried did not make an over-heavy; load. It is pathetic to ree_all Douglas’ sole regret was the ;failure to start at dawn, which was ‘based on the fact that" this precludecl the possibility of beating the Al--lianee’s pl'eV‘ious (record .time‘ from Lontlpn to Madrid. He added?‘ “Anyway, I fully expect I shall overtake the Vickers-Vim_v tomorrow. ’ ’

Both Douglas and Ross were inundated with telegrams, letters, and good wishes to the very moment of ‘leparture, the senders including Prince Albertand many leading staitesmen and soldiers. The Premier entrusted them with letters for his son-in-law in Baghdad. Despatehes to Mr Hughes 116; others were also carried. The achine was named “EndeaVour_” At be time of the crash it was heading owards Lorrdon, probably returning to ounslow aerodrome, owing ‘to bad isibilit3,'. The cro.sh' occurred near ‘nrbiton cemetery. Pedestrians ob-‘ erved the engine running .‘intermit:ently, Several loud reports followed, nd the plane suddenly nose-dived at

terrific speed through the mist and rashed, levelling an apple tree. The achine was completely wrecked and ind bnrst in flames. The propeller as buried in the ground. Ross’s body as found seven yards distant. Be as killed instantaneously. The police nd ‘volunteers removed the Wreckage hich wlvas burying Douglass, who di-;-.<_l few minutes after being’ e:~:t'i2.l"cd. is Wrist watch was still going. ‘£o-Ft-is (~’~'ol‘ells<=at*tcl'evl ‘over a wide adius. A ’ ‘ “ ‘=2; ~':.=.- lDurin.g a trial flight yesterda;-‘,7 the n:-*.elline’s powerful wireless equip nent. ieked up messages from the .Xmev.'ic'an‘ aval station on the"Pana,ma mllu.l. ouglas based. his coilfidenze‘on the access of the flight mainly on n:‘l‘.‘rl- - ‘an hourly speed of 13:3 miles, eclaring that this was ten miles more han any other competitor. His plans pncluded a 3000—miles non-stop flight 0 Brindisi on the first day, but owing o the late start Douglas had decided 0 descend at Dijon_ The bodies were taken to Sui-biton ortuaiy. 4

“STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. V 0 ' LONDON, Nov. 16. Scdeley, an estate ‘agent, who was n eye-wltncss of the =Endeavour ré_.sh,A.states that the aeroplane was ying-at a great "speed at 1000 feet. Kverything seemed to be going quite moothly. Then the engine stopped. fnmed_iately the machine came earth 31-dg; It t1_‘|_1‘Xl€d11'0111l(1 and round, ‘pinning in 9. nose dive. When the "ilde*a._vour lmud fallen to the hnight of he ‘hldusc-Tops, the pilot_seemed v.to be Vttemfygixxg to régain control, butr tob ‘itte; Tlxem 'wa—s 5; texfrific report; übut "is riot true that the ivreqkage caughtA_lé'e, though pm-_ts we__»*e saturated _with' efr6l." ‘ 3. M‘