PARACHUTES FAIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 July 1938, Page 7

PARACHUTES FAIL

MR G. W. SELLARS KILLED AT WESTPORT AIR PAGEANT TRAGEDY. DEATH INSTANTANEOUS. By Telegraph—Press Association. WESTPORT, July 3. Mr G. W. Sellars, parachutist, aged 27 years, who was visiting Westport under engagement to the Westport Aero Club to give two exhibitions of parachute descents at the club’s initial pageant on the North Beach, was killed yesterday afternoon when, while giving his first exhibition at 1500 feet, one parachute failed to open completely, and the emergency one did likewise, with the result that Mr Sellars fell to the beach, death apparently being instantaneous. When he arrived at Westport from Christchurch yesterday , and noted the unfavourable weather conditions, Mr Sellars announced that he would make only one descent. He examined his apparatus in the Westport hangar, and tr.e flight took place after the opening ceremony of the new aerodrome on the North Beach. Previous to the flight a heavy shower of rain had fallen and was followed by a temporary lull in the weather. The plane, a Tiger Moth, was piloted by Flight Lieutenant W. Parker, instructor at the West Coast United Aero Club, who taught Mr Sellars to fly. The machine took off after the other machines had taken to the air in turn, and flew back across the town, swinging after a good distance had' been covered. Gaining the necessary elethe plane crossed the aerodrome, making out to the beach, Mr Sellars relying on the force of wind to drift him back. He jumped and appeared to be falling head downward for a considerable distance before the first parachute was released. It filled only partially, and he attempted to open the second parachute. It too failed to fill with air, and the parachutist, rapidly falling, had no chance. He hit the beach from the aerodrome with terrific force. The crowd of spectators ?oon reached the body, which was crushed and broken. An inquest was opened today, when formal evidence of identification was given by Mr D. F. Gemmil, secretary of the Westport Aero Club. The inquest was then adjourned sine die. The body wil be taken to Dunedin for burial. The late Mr Sellars was well known in Masterton and other Wairarapa towns, having made a number of parachute jumps at various places in the district. A week ago, at Mangere, he made his 200th descent, and he held the Dominion record of over 7000 feet for a parachute drop, established last November at Mangere. After taking up flying he became a professional parachutist, and his ambition was to jump from an altitude of over 20,000 feet, and to create a British Empire record descent. In spite of his skill, he had had several narrow escapes, on one occasion being caught in high tension power lines near Carterton. He is the third parachutist to be killed in New Zealand. The following lines were written by Mr Sellars on February 28, 1936, in the autograph book of a boy admirer in Masterton: — In joy that on these flashing wings I cleave 'the skjes- —Oh, let them fret, Now know I why the skylark sings, Untrammelled in the boundless air, For mine it is his bliss to share.