403239 Aircraftsman (1) George Herbert William Taylor, 1920-9/11/1941.

FALL OUT OF PLANE

WIRELESS OPERATOR KILLED 

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. The Air Department, Wellington, announced to-night that a wireless operator, Aircraftman George Herbert William Taylor, was killed this afternoon when he fell from an aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force during bumpy weather near Havelock. 

Aircraftman Taylor was born at Temuka in 1921, and was the son of Mr George Taylor, of Temuka. 

A court of inquiry will be held.  -Evening Star, 12/9/1941.

At the time of his death, George Taylor was serving in No. 2 Squadron, RNZAF, based in Blenheim and conducting reconaissance patrols over Cook Strait.  They flew 1930s vintage biplanes, which were replaced with modern bomber/patrol aircraft not long after the accident.

FALL FROM PLANE

WIRELESS OPERATOR KILLED NEAR HAVELOCK 

INQUEST HELD 

An inquest into the death of George Herbert William Taylor, aged 20 years, wireless operator in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who was killed as the result of falling from a plane near Havelock on 11th September, was held at the Magistrate's Court to-day. The Coroner was Mr T. E. Maunsell. S.M. Senior-Sergeant Petersen represented the police. 

Charles Fulton Pattie, medical officer at the Nelson Air Force station, said that deceased suffered multiple injuries as a result of his impact with the ground. 

William Bernard Pettet, pilot officer, said that on the 11th September he was piloting the plane, which was also occupied by Roy Bert Anderson, in the central cockpit, and Taylor, in the rear cockpit. The rear cockpit on the plane was a shallow one. Taylor had his parachute harness on when he entered the machine and had means of fastening himself in the plane. Witness did not know whether Taylor made use of the means provided for fastening himself. They were passing over Havelock Suburban when Anderson passed witness a note indicating that Taylor was not in the plane. Flying conditions had been bumpy and he could only assume that Taylor fell out as the result of one of the bad bumps. Deceased was a wireless operator and lived at the Aerodrome. 

Roy Bert Anderson, Aircraftman II., said that for some reason he looked back and saw that Taylor was not in his cockpit. He had not heard or seen anything. He looked back two or three minutes after a bad bump. He could only assume that Taylor was thrown out by a bad bump. When the plane left the ground to all appearances Taylor had strapped himself in. 

The Coroner commented that no doubt that aspect would be investigated at the service enquiry. 

Mr Maunsell returned a verdict that death was due to multiple injuries sustained while travelling in an Air Force plane.  -Nelson Evening Mail, 23/9/1941.

Temuka Cemetery, NZ.