405849 Leading Aircraftman Albert "Bill" Maher, 1919-21/6/1941.

 

DUNEDIN AIRMAN KILLED

CRASH IN TRAINING FLIGHT 

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH., June 21. Leading Aircraftman Albert Maher, aged 23, of Dunedin, was killed instantly when an Airspeed Oxford bomber that he was piloting crashed at Halswell at 10.40 this morning. Maher, who was the sole occupant of the machine, had just taken off on a cross-country flight. No witnesses have yet been lound of the accident, which happened barely half a mile from Wigram. The machine was wrecked, but did not catch fire. Maher was undergoing a normal training course. His father is Mr Michael Maher, who resides at 34 Frame street. North-east Valley, Dunedin.  -Evening Star, 21/6/1941.

FATAL CRASH

DUNEDIN AIRMAN'S DEATH 

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

The death of Albert Maher, an airman pilot, who was killed instantly when an aeroplane he was piloting crashed at Halswell about 10.40 a.m. on June 21, was investigated at an inquest completed in Christchurch. The coroner, Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M. returned a verdict that Maher died of extensive injuries to the head and body, received when the aircraft he was piloting went out of control and crashed to the ground and was destroyed. 

Maher was a pupil pilot, aged 22 years, son of Mr Michael Maher, of 34 France street, North-East Valley, Dunedin. He had just taken off from Wigram in an Oxford Airspeed aeroplane on a cross-country flight when the machine crashed about three-quarters of a mile away in a paddock. 

Examination of Plane John Charles Parker, a fitter at Wigram, said that on the evening before the accident he made his daily examination of the aeroplane in which Maher flew. Everything was in perfect order, and he left the machine ready for flying the next morning. His check would cover the succeeding 24 hours, unless something was found to be wrong. He did not have anything to do with the machine on the morning of the accident. 

Vincent David Gain, a flying officer at Wigram, in evidence additional to that given at an earlier hearing, said that Maher's flight was authorised by the deputy flight commander. Maher had several hours of solo flying to his credit. This was his second crosscountry flight. On the morning of the accident witness had been up in the aeroplane himself with another pilot, and had done a dual circuit, after which the other pilot went on a crosscountry flight and was away about two hours. Witness found the machine in good order, and the other pilot did not report anything wrong with it on his return. Between the time the other pilot used the machine and the time Maher took off it was completely refuelled. Witness saw Maher take off and it appeared to be in good running order. He made a good take-off. 

Flight Rigger's Evidence Alexander Harry Dryland, a flight rigger at Wigram, said that before June 21 he had been carrying out a daily inspection of an Oxford aeroplane, and the last inspection he made of it was on the evening of June 20. On the evening of June 20 he took about half an hour, the usual time, to check it over. He had nothing to do with the machine on the morning of the crash. The coroner returned his verdict without comment. A departmental inquiry had already been held.  -Otago Daily Times, 21/8/1941.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.