Airman's Escape

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 255, 26 March 1914, Page 5

Airman's Escape

SENSATIONAL FLIGHT IN WINDY " WELLINGTON. , MACHINE WRECKED IN A TREE- * TOP. , J By Telegraph—Press A«Boclation. 'j| Wellington, last Night Wellington people saw. for the •Ht*ttl time a local aeroplane flight this titer- ''M noon, and those who witnessed its brief '3§ course and thrilling termination will wt'M soon forget it. For thfee days J. W.'-S rr. Scotland, the young s New Zealand m aviator, had been foiled by the weather 'tO and prevented from essaying a flight t[M To-day the conditions" seemed better. \J| The weather was fine, though and only a light wind blew, but It wa»";3 apparently tricky, coming up the valley > J from Island Bay to Athletic Park, wherV tf the aeroplane was to start its journey; .is A fair crowd gathered soon after three" J o'clock, when Scotland decided to The engine was speeded lip and fhi'.tf •word given, and the Caudron biplane 'I started quickly along the ground. When half-way across the park it began to rite $. gently and evenly, amidst much applatue. '' In a few seconds, as the airman got jfl above Berhampore, It was noticed that fl the machine seemed to rock and jolt -M about in a manner which wag alarming' 1 t'a to the people used only to solid earth. . g lhen Scotland, as he approached higher J ;A ground on the western a% of Newtown* Park, turned to the leftfwith a sm#ja ■bank,' as if intending to Return to the J starting point. The cwind caught Mi 't machine, threatening to drive it on to \i the houses on the rising ground imnw- % diately ahead; aviator endeavored • to rise higher, and succeeded in part, J> His was able to avoid the houses, but i could not Bhake off the grip of tho maty -, -t wind enough to let him get a good «&' 4 vntion, and the aeroplane crashed witfc ■' ■; a resounding noise into the top of %'-\\ l>ig pine tree, on the edge of Newtown "-'i Park, facing Russell Terrace. Soon the '*r streets leading to the scene of the aool* "VS dent were thronged. Arrived at BaieeU -il Terrace, however, Scotland was teett T? < oming down the road with some friends. He had grasped a branch of the tree' •■;' when the smash came, and so saret *£i himself from harm beyond a sprained ■ thnmbandabitofashaking. T>»a« -~A chine framework was smashed and the" Nt canvas of the planes badly ripped anf • 1 torn. Both blades of the propeUor war* .'■ broken off short, and the wire work WW ■* twisted and tangled in the tree top. The ■'% motor was apparently undamaged, and "-''i in the circumstances the airman must be - "t* congratulated on his lucky escape. _'j|