INQUEST OPENED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1940, Page 6

INQUEST OPENED

PILOT REFUSES TO CHANGE MACHINES. INCIDENT BEFORE FLIGHT. —- i CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. > How Flight-Lieutenant A. D. Poulton. pilot of the ill-fated Baffin Bomber, could have changed machines when he returned to Wigram air station after an earlier flight yesterday was told at an inquest, opened before the Coroner, Mr Levvey, S.M.. this morning. Flight-Lieutenant A. C. Parson identified Flight-Lieut. Poulton and Aircraftsman (first class) W. J. R. Strachan. ■whose bodies were recovered from the wreckage last night. The inquest was adjourned sine die. Flight-Lieut. Parson told the Coroner that he was present, when both bodies were brought ashore. The Coroner asked witness if there was any question of physical defect which might have led Flight-Lieut. Poulton to crash. Flight-Lieut. Parson said he was not in a position to say. He had authorised the flights. He was in command of one flight and Flightother. They were working in close liason. Witness had drawn up a flying schedule. He spoke to FlightLieut. Poulton tlie first thing yesterday morning and he then appeared to be quite all right. "He would have said he was off colour if he felt so." The flight lieutenant continued: "He said nothing to me. We worked a flying schedule out between us. We are instructed to report, if wo feel off colour. Flight-Lieut. Poulton made two flights during the morning. He first went up on machine No. NZIS2 and after completing his flight landed al Wigram. 1 was going up in 161 and offered this machine to him. Ho refused and said he would go up again in 152." No. 152 was the Baffin which crashed in the surf and killed Flight-Lieut. Poulton and his two companions. “It was a bud show." Flight-Lieut. Parson concluded.

Flight-Lieut. Poulton was a maiTicd man. aged forty, formerly a farmer of West Eyreton and had been a member of the Air Force since the end of lhe Great War. He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. A. Poulton. Christchurch. Air Gunner Strachan was a sun of Mr G. Strachan, Roxburgh. Aircraftsman Birbeck, whoso father was killed in the Great War. was the eldest son of Mrs A. Odium, Christchurch.