AIR TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1922, Page 5

AIR TRAGEDY

ROSS SMITH DEAD. 5 AEROPLANE CRASHES MECHANIC A VICTIM. TWO NOTABLE MEN. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April 13. Sir Rom Smith, the distinguished airman who flew to Australia, and Lieutenant Bennett, who accompanied him on that flight, were killed while tearing the machine with which they proposed to attempt a flight round the world. Sir Roas Smith and Lieut. Bennett rose at 12.15 in order to test the machine at Brookland*. Sir Keith Smith (who was also in the flight to Australia) did not participate in the trial flying. The conditions were most favorable and the machine flew perfectly for a quarter of an hour. Then it developed a spin and crashed and nose-dived, falling on an iron fence surrounding the racing track. Sir Ros* Smith was killed instantaneously and Lieut. Bennett died two minutes later. The defect in the machine which caused the accident is inexplainable at present.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A TERRIBLE FALL. MACHINE DIVES TO EARTH. STORIES OF EYE-WITNESSES. TRIBUTE TO THE AIRMEN. Received April 14, 11.5 p.m. London, April 13. Half an hour before the fatal flight, Captain Cockerill, of the Vickers Co., had successfully flown the machine -for thirty minutes, then handing it over to Sir Ross Smith. Sir Keith -Smith intended joining in the trial flight, but arrived at the aerodrome too late to participate. He. however, was present to witness the crash. When the machine fell Sir Keith Smith was one of the first, to arrive and saw his brother removed from the' machine to the track. A motor ambulance removed the bodies to a mortuary. An eye-witness of the accident declares that the machine climbed gracefully and powerfully to a height of three thousand feet and then swung to a vertical position, one wing dipping. Then she began to spin slowly downwards. with its nose to earth. The spectators at first thought Sir Ross Smith was ‘‘stunting” in order to test the wings, but the speed of the spinning acceleratd and it was soon apparent that the machine was beyond control, and finally it crashed 150 yards frdm the terrified spectators. Sir Ross Smith was found dead in the seat of the machine, which was a heap of wreckage. Lieutenant Bennett Was so severely injured that he expired immediately after his extrication from the wreckage. No fire broke out and the aeroplane was intact until it reached the earth. Mr. H. A. Guest (Air Minister) telegraphed to Sir Keith Smith: “On behalf of the Air Council and self, please accept sincerest condolences at the tragic death of Sir Ross Smith and Lieut. Bennett on the eve of your round the world flight/’ Mr. Guest* has written to Sir Joseph Cook (High Commissioner for Australia), requesting him to convey to the deceased’s relations the Air Council's profound sympathy in the tragic accident which killed two distinguished pioneers in aviation on the eve of their projected world flight, which the Council had hoped would not only eclipse "the historic flight to Australia, but would also have been a further step in linking up by air mahy countries of the world, as well as the different parts of the Empire. The sudden ending of two such promising lives would be everywhere felt as an irreparable loss. The Air Ministry will hold an inquiry in a few days. Fifteen hundred Vickers employees, who were liberated for the trial, witnessed the fatal flight. One member of the Vickers testing staff, in a statement, said: “I ascended in another machine, accompanied by cinematographers. who photographed Sir Ross Smith. The machine was named the “Vickers.” When under Captain Cockerill’s charge she behaved splendidly and when Sir Ross Smith took over the machine she had a beautiful take off and ran well, then Sir Ross Smith shut off the engine and was making for the aerodrome. He pulled her nose up. stalled and that is all. She began to spin downwards from a height of two thousand -feet, which was not enough to permit Sir Ross Smith to rectify it.” He added that nobody will ever know exactly what happened. Sir Keith Smith was overcome with grief when he saw the crash and flung himself across his brother’s body.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TRIBUTES FROM AMERICA. PERILS FOR THE HEROIC. Received April 14, 11.5 p.m. New York, April 14. The New York Times, commenting on the death of Sir Ross Smith, points i out that he was a greater flier than Sir John Alcock (who flew the Atlantic) and adds: “Both men were noted for their coolness and dexterity, yet ’ each in an unaccountable way lost con- i trol of his machine. The conclusion must be that the airplane is a sensitive and erractic machine, which on oc- < easions baffles the most alert and re- i sourceful pilot.” The New York World calls his death ; a tragedy of unusual fatefulness, even < for aviation. < The Herald says it is the irony of 1 the air that it will let a ftier do things seemingly impossible and then kill him when attempting a trifle.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Amu '