AIR TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1942, Page 3

AIR TRAGEDY

FOUR PEOPLE DEAD LINER LOST AT SEA. PILOT ONLY. SURVIVOR. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WESTPORT, December 21. The worst, aircraft accident in the history of the West Coast occurred this morning when an Air Travels plane, piloted by Flight Lieutenant A. E. Baines, lost its starboard propeller at a height of 4000 feet, descended on to the sea some five miles north of Westport and four passengers lost their lives. The pilot was rescued from the sea by a Union Steam Ship Company collier which was in the vicinity at the time of the accident'. The passengers who lost their lives were: Mr A. Johnstone, believed to have come from Gisborne. Mr Michael Hearty, Haast, South Westland. Mr A. Walter, Haast. Geoffrey Colin Mcßride, son of Mr and Mrs Mcßride, Ngakawau. The plane was a twin-engine De Havilland Dragon Fly. It left for Nelson about 9.30 a.m. Aftei’ proceeding a short distance over the sea it lost the starboard propeller. The pilot endeavoured to return to Westport, working on one engine, but gradually the plane, lost height, and finally alighted on the sea, the impact causing the stem to dip into the sea and the tail to lift. PLANE FLOATS FOR 20 MINUTES.

Before alighting, the pilot informed the passengers and opened the door. All except one, Mr Johnstone, was able to take advantage of the pilot’s act of precaution. The plane remained afloat for about 20 minutes with the passengers standing on the wings. It then sank, taking Mr Johnstone with it, and later Mr Mcßride and Mr Walter also disappeared. The pilot as an extra precaution had in the meantime stripped off his clothes and when the U.S.S. Company's ship, made aware of the accident, launched a lifeboat, he and Mr Hearty were taken aboard. Mr Hearty was in a very bad way and did not long survive the trying ordeal. Meanwhile Captain Tointon, harbourmaster, in the Harbour Board’s launch, and Mr Thompson in his fishing launch had both made a widespread search, but could see nothing of the plane or survivors and returned to port. The collier, however, informed the harbourmaster of the position and he again put out to sea in the harbour board’s launch.

VISIBILITY BAD.

Some five miles north of Westport he met the rescuing steamer and after great difficulty because of the rolling sea got the pilot and Mr Hearty aboard, the latter on a stretcher. When the launch reached the breakwater the harbourmaster asked to be met by a doctor and an ambulance. However, when Dr Bruce went on board the launch, Mr Hearty was dead. Flight Lieutenant Baines had numerous lacerations of the ears which were surgically treated. This is the first accident in the history of Air Travels. When the accident occurred visibility was bad. A heavy mist lay over the-sea, lifting at times only to descend again. An inquest into the death of Mr Hearty was opened by Mr Arthur Taylor, coroner, this afternoon, when evidence of identification was given by Captain Mercer.