TAIERI AIR CRASH
YOUNG DUNEDIN FLYER KILLED
PLANE SMASHED TO MATCHWOOD
INJURIES CAUSE INSTANT DEATH
Crashing in a paddock near Wylie’s Crossing shortly before 4 o’clock on Thursday afternoon, while flying in one of the Otago Aero Club’s aeroplanes, Errol Warrington Colvin, aged 20, who resided with his parents at 60 Forth street. Dunedin, received injuries which must have caused instant death.
According to accounts of eyewitnesses, it appears that the young pilot, who was practising "stunts" in the course of his training, got into a side-slip at too low an altitude, failed to recover, and crashed with a terrific impact into the ground.
The accident was the first serious mishap to occur at the Taieri to an Otago Aero Club plane, though several years ago another of the club’s planes was involved in a crash at St. Andrews, in which a passenger was killed and the pilot badly injured. Colvin was the holder of an A license.
Twenty years of age last November, Mr Colvin was a very popular member of the club. Six feet in height and weighing 12st 61b, he was strong and healthy, and for years had been deeply interested in flying. He received his primary education at the Albany Street School, and later spent five years at the Otago Boys’ High School, which he left last year to join the staff of the Public Library. It was Colvin’s intention to join the Air Force, and only a fortnight ago he went to Christchurch, to meet the air inspector and put in his application to proceed Home. He was required to report at Christchurch in May to undergo a three months’ course before leaving for England, the intention being for him to have four years’ tuition at Home before returnng to New Zealand as an officer of the Dominion Air Force.
A keen and popular member of the club, the young pilot took off in the aeroplane ZKACI at 3.45 p.m. on a practice flight from the Taieri Aerodrome, and, after circling to gain altitude, flew in a westerly direction towards Outram. Ten minutes after leaving the aerodrome the machine, which by this time was at an estimated height of 2,000 ft over Wylie’s Crossing, was observed by an onlooker to go into three consecutive rolls, from which the pilot recovered each time. At the end of a fourth roll, however, the machine did not come back on to an even keel, appearing to sideslip, and came hurtling down into a paddock of oats at the rear of the residence of Mr Stanley Clark, a farmer. The “stunt” flying which the deceased was undertaking is part of the training, and it is considered that at too low an altitude he got into a side-slip, out of which he was unable to bring his machine.
The plane hit the ground with a terrific impact, the nose and the engine being buried fully 3ft under the surface of the soil. The cockpit of the pilot and the fuselage were completely telescoped on to the engine, and every strut was splintered to matchwood.
All that could be seen yesterday morning of the aeroplane was a mass of wreckage, and a few fragments of wing fabric lying on the lip of a miniature crater hollowed out by the great force with which the machine hit the ground.
Shortly after the accident Constable Wroblenslki, who is at present in charge of the Mosgiel station, and Constable Southgate, of Outram, were on the scene, and with the assistance of some men who were working in the vicinity, removed sufficient of the wreckage recover the body, the mangled condition of which made it clear that death, must have been instantaneous.
Flight-lieutenant E. G. Olsen, who was formerly pilot-instructor at the Taieri aerodrome and who is now a member of the New Zealand Air Force headquarters staff at Wigram, was at the airport on Thursday examining several candidates for their licenses, and, on behalf of the Inspector of Air Accidents, he has taken full charge of the investigations into the cause of the crash.
The wrecked plane, which was a De Havilland Gypsy Moth, was one of the veteran machines of the aerodrome, it having been given to the club by the Government in 1930. It had done about 2,000 hours of flying, but was still staunch and serviceable. In January it was thoroughly reconditioned, and was only recently completely overhauled and passed as airworthy. Following the custom whenever a machine leaves the airport, even if only for a short flight, the plane was given a searching examination by the club’s ground engineer, and there seems to be no doubt that it was in perfect condition when it was taken up on its last flight.
On Thursday the remains of the wings of the wrecked plane were removed to the aerodrome hangars. Before the engine and component parts were fully uncovered yesterday four men had to dig for about an hour, and it was then necessary to requisition a tractor to drag the wreckage out of the hole before loading it on to a lorry for removal to the aerodrome.
An inquest was opened yesterday morning at the morgue before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. Formal evidence of identification was taken, and the inquiry was adjourned sine die. -Evening Star, 27/3/1937.
PURE MISADVENTURE
YOUNG PILOT'S DEATH
AEROPLANE CRASH AT TAIERI
EVIDENCE AT INQUEST ON ERROL COLVIN
Deciding that the accident which occurred to Errol Warrington Colvin, a young pilot who crashed to death in a De Havilland Gipsy Moth machine at Wylie’s Crossing on March 25, was one of pure misadventure, the coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) returned a verdict at the inquest this morning that death was due to injuries received when the deceased crashed. Evidence was given that the machine was in good order; that the deceased, who had had dual instruction in spin flying, asked and was given permission to carry out such evolutions; and that he was considered reasonably competent to do so. The Otago Aero Club was represented by Mr W. D. Taylor.
INSTRUCTOR’S EVIDENCE.
Donald Campbell, pilot instructor to the Otago Aero Club, said the deceased had been known to him for about six months as a pupil member of the club. He last saw him alive at about 3.40 p.m. on March 25 just prior to his taking off. He appeared to be in good health and cheerful spirits, and requested permission to practise two or three spins. The permission was granted subject to his not at any time coming below 2,000 ft. He had previously had dual instruction in spinning and recovering. Witness saw him take off, which he did quite normally, and the last he saw of the machine was at a height of approximately 4,000 ft, when he was still climbing. About 10 minutes later witness was informed by telephone that a plane had crashed near Wylie’s Crossing. He communicated with Dr Spedding, who went immediately to the scene of the accident. Witness also went to the scene and saw the machine embedded in the ground in a wrecked condition. The machine was not touched till inspected by Flight-lieutenant Olsen and the police. The deceased’s bodv was not visible, being buried in the debris. Flight-lieutenant Olsen took charge of the preliminary investigations.
In reply to the coroner, witness said it was not actually stunt flying that was carried out by the deceased. It was part of the training. Deceased had previously had dual experience in that branch of training. It was quite in order for him to do what he had asked to do.
MACHINE AIRWORTHY.
Alfred William Burbidge, ground engineer at the aerodrome, said the deceased always appeared to be very level-headed, and not the type to lose his head. He was very interested in flying, which he was taking up as a profession. The machine flown by the deceased was taken out of service on January 18 for general overhaul and was test flown by Flying-officer Campbell and passed for general use. Witness saw the machine on March 25, when it had a certificate of airworthiness signed by T. C. Martin. This certificate would be valid till September 9.
Temple Chavallier Martin, assistant ground engineer, said the deceased was a steady, reliable young man, and as far as he knew did not drink. The machine flown by the deceased had been examined by witness at 9 a.m. that day and had been passed as airworthy.
George Atlie Miles, a member of the Aero Club, said he was the last person to fly the machine prior to the deceased. While he was flying the plane it was in perfect condition with all controls working freely and correctly. In his opinion there was nothing whatever wrong with the machine. Witness finished flying the plane at about 3.40 p.m. on the day of the accident.
ACCOUNTS OF EYE-WITNESSES.
John Douglas Dee, an eye-witness of the accident, said he saw the plane over North Taieri heading towards the aerodrome. He watched it do a spin and then straighten out. The machine then turned and was from view by trees. He heard the noise of the staywires above the engine roar as the machine glided down with engine running. The plane then appeared to turn over on its back and dive straight to the ground. He heard a thud and saw a shower of earth thrown up. When the plane commenced the dive it would be about 3,000 ft up. The crash occurred about half a mile from where witness was. He immediately went to the scene of the crash and found the machine a total wreck. There was no sign of the pilot, who appeared to be buried in the debris.
Duncan McKenzie, another eye-witness, said he watched the plane flying above the farm where he was working. After some time he saw the pilot go into a spin, and waited for the plane to right itself. It did not do so, however, and dived straight to earth. He went to the point at which it crashed, and found the machine a complete wreck. He could only see the helmet of the pilot, who appeared to be buried in the debris. He left immediately to inform the police. In his opinion the pilot had been practising spins at the usual height.
INVESTIGATION MADE.
Edward George Olsen, flight-lieutenant in the Air Force, said at the time of the accident he was on duty at the Taieri aerodrome. He went to the scene of the accident and found the aircraft embedded in the ground and completely wrecked. He obtained authority to conduct an investigation and later had the plane removed. The machine had been used for the testing of pupils and no reports had been received of any peculiarities or defects in it.
The Coroner: What examination is made before these flights? Witness said a complete examination was made by the ground engineers and a certificate signed to the effect that everything was in order.
With a model aeroplane witness illustrated to the coroner how the inspection was made.
The examination of the planes was made each day, said witness in further reply to the coroner. It was not made before each flight unless a pilot had reported that a machine was functioning incorrectly.
The Coroner: As the result of your investigation can you give any theory or explanation of this accident?
Witness replied that that was a very difficult thing to do. The only thing that was proved by his examination was that the machine was in airworthy condition up to the time it struck the ground.
To the father of the deceased, witness said that the spins that deceased had permission to perform were part of the regular training. The instructor was the sole judge as to the fitness of the pilot to perform these manoeuvres. The machine was a fairly old one, but owing to its being fully reconditioned it was to all intents and purposes a new machine. He thought that 3,000 ft was high enough to carry out the spins. The higher, of course, the better. In this case the witness thought the pilot would be unable to get higher owing to the ceiling than 4,000ft. The instructor had said in evidence that the deceased was last seen about 4,000 ft up. The regulations laid it down that no spin should be carried out below 2,000 ft.
To Mr Taylor: An instructor usually gave spin practice at about 3,000 ft. That was regarded as being reasonably safe. That was the practice followed in England. The essential controls from the point of view of the type of accident were in perfect condition in so far as all hinged pins were locked on the elevator, all controls were correctly connected and locked on both elevator and rudder. From what was called the lockshaft lever at the back of the pilot’s cockpit the control could still be moved freely and fully after the accident.
THE CORONER’S VERDICT.
The Coroner said the evidence showed that the aeroplane was in perfect order and that the prescribed regulation tests had been made, an examination having been carried out before it was put into flight. It had actually been flown a few niinutes before by another pilot, who said he found the machine in perfect order. The deceased was a pilot member of the club gaining experience in flying. He had had dual instruction in spin flying, and on this occasion asked permission to attempt this flying. According to the instructor, at this stage of his experience the deceased was reasonably competent to perform it. The evidence of eye-witnesses showed that some spins were successfully performed, and that then the machine from a considerable height appeared to dive straight down into the ground. It was a matter of mere speculation as to what occurred. It was possible that it might have been an error of judgment on the part of the pilot — the height from the ground might not have been what the eye-witnesses thought it was. It was a matter of great difficulty to estimate height in that way. Possibly the pilot might have been overcome by some physical disability. There was nothing on which one could base any real opinion. It had been suggested by the parent that it would be a better thing if the young fellows performed such evolutions at a greater height. It appeared that the practice at Home was the practice followed here, and was a matter for consideration by experts. It was not a matter on which he could express an opinion of any value. The unfortunate fatality appeared to be one of pure misadventure. One could only regret that a young and promising career had been cut short and express deep sympathy with the relatives. The verdict would be that death was due to injuries received through an aeroplane piloted by the deceased crashing on the ground at Wylie's Crossing on March 25. -Evening Star, 7/4/1937.
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