AUSTRALIA BY AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1919, Page 5

AUSTRALIA BY AIR

THE ALLIANCE DISASTER. THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED. TEE OPTIMISM OF THE AIRMEN, By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyrieht, Received Nov. 16, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 13. Details of the disaster to the Alliance aeroplane, in which Captain Douglas and Lieutenant Ross started a flight to Aus-. tralia, and, falling at Surbiton, was wrecked and both aviators killed, are neecssarily scanty. Eye-witnesses remarked on the machine's low altitude, when suddenly the engines stopped and the aeroplane nosedived into an orchard half a dozen miles from the starting point. Within a few minutes neighbors hastened to the spot and other assistance was summoned, but it was discovered that both men were killed. , The airmen'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 freelv at Hounslow with' an Australian Press representative, who was one of' the last to shake hands and wish them good luck as they entered the machine, which was equipped with every possible comfort for the lqcg journev, including leather upholstered armchairs. The airmen were somewhat disappointed they could not make an earlier start, but a light snowstorm in London and adverse weather reports indicating a fog over the Channel and over Northern France, prevented their carrying out their original programme. A BAD "TAKE OFF." > The channel fog suddenly lifting, however, enabled a start to be made at 11.33. When the machine was wheeled about preparatory to the start, the sun/burst out brilliantly and onlookers warmly congratulated the airmen on the good omen. The latter responded cheerfully and waved a final farewell from the fuselage windows. The snow made the ground heavy i n contrast 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 it almost appeared as if it would collide with trees. The machine circled round the aerodrome twice, but was still only feet up, and some onlookers questioned whether the emergency foodstuffs and the various equipment carried did not make an over heavy load. It is pathetic to recall that Captain Douglass sole regret—the failure to start at dawn—was based on the fact that this precluded the possibility of beating the Alliance's previous record time from London to Madrid. He added: "Anyway I fully expect I will overtake the Vickers-Vimy to-morrow" Both Captain Douglas and Lieutenant Ross were inundated with telegrams and letters of good wishes up to the very moment of departure, including messages from Prince Albert and many leading statesmen and soldiers. The Premier entrusted them with letters for his son-in-law in Baghdad, dispatches to Mr W M. Hughes (the Federal Premier), and' others were also carried. A SUDDEN NOSE DIVE.

The machine was named the "Endeavor." At the time of the crash it was heading towards London, probably returning to Hounslow aerodrome owing to bad viability. The crash occurred near the Surbiton cemetery. Pedestrians observed the engine running intermittently. Several loud reports followed and the 'plane suddenly nosedived at a terrific speed through the mist and crashed, levelling an apple tree. The machine was completely wrecked, and burst into flames. The propeller was buried in the ground. Lieutenant Kosss body was seven yards distant. He must have been killed instantly. The police arrived and volunteers removed the wreckage burying Captain Douglas, who died a few minutes after he was extricated. His wrist watch was still going. Stores were scattered over a wide radius. During a trial flight yesterday the machine's powerful wirelesß equipment picked up messages from the American naval station at the Panama Canal. Captain Douglas based his confidence in the success of the flight mainly on maintaining an hourly speed of 133 mileH declaring this was ten miles more than any other competitor. His plans included a three thousand mile non-stop Bight to Brindisi on the first day, but owing to the late start Captain' Douglas had decided to descend .at Dijon. The bodies were taken to the Surbiton mortuary.

FLYING AT GREAT SPEED. An eye-witness of the Endeavor crash states that the aeroplane was flying at a great speed at a thousand feet and everything seemed to be going quite smoothly. Then the engine stopped, and immediately the machine came earthwards. It turned round and round, spinning in a nose-dive. When the Endeavor had fallen to the height of the housetops the pilot seemed to be attempting to regain control, but he was too late. There was a terrible report, but it is not true that the wreckage caught fire, though parts were saturated with petrol.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CAPTAIN ROSS SMTH. Received Nov. 15, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 14'. Captain Ross Smith has arrived at Pisa, in Italy. Ross Smith left London on November 1-2 and made his first stop at Lyons, in France, where he landed the same day.] A SWIFT. FLIGHT. Received Nov. 10, 11.45 p.m. Paris, Nov. 14. The Vickers machine covered the Lyons stage of five hundred miles ih six and a half hours.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.