PLANES CRASH

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20738, 23 February 1939, Page 9

PLANES CRASH

TWELVE DOWN IN FOQ FIVE MACHINES DESTROYED TWO PILOTS KILLED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright' NEW YORK, Feb. 21 An official report from Pensacola P’lorida states that !2 single-seater Navy pursuit aeroplanes crashed when they landed over a wide area in the vicinity of Pensacola Inst night. Five of the maehincs were destroyed. According to officials at the Pensacola air statfon. the machines crashed owing to their petro] being exhausted after flying blind for more than five hours in a dense fog.

The officials said that two pilots were killed and several were slightly injured. One of those killed was a Brazillian. Lieutenant G. P. Presa, who was a student pilot.

The aeroplanes had started on a routine formation flight at dusk. They immediately encountered a dense bank of fog and separated so as to avoid collisions in mid-air. However, the fog persisted, forcing blind landings when the petrol supplies were depleted.

The occupants of six of the machines parachuted to the ground. Hours elapsed before information about the entire company could be obtained. The bodies of Lieutenant Presa and the other victim. Lieutenant Ostergren, an American, were found in a burned aeroplane. The loss of equipment is estimated at 200.000 dollars. Air officials say the fliers were not to blame, the suddenness of fogs at Pensacola being characteristic of that neighbourhood.