LIGHT PLANE CRASHES
OTAGO AERO CLUB AUSTER
THICK FOG HAMPERS SEARCH
(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, May 18.
An Otago Aero Club Auster aircraft is missing. It crashed at a point 17 miles by air from Dunedin.
Thick fog has hampered the search, which win be continued at daylight. The pilot is Mr William John Stevenson, aged 32, of Balclutha, and the passenger is Mr William Russell Wright, aged 32, also of Balclutha. Both men are married and have young families. -Press, 19/5/1954.
CRASHED PLANE FOUND
BOTH OCCUPANTS KILLED
(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, May 19.
The bodies of William John Stevenson, aged 32, and William Russel Wright, aged 32, of Balclutha, were found by a police and mountain rescue party last night beside the burnt-out wreckage of a new Auster aircraft about a mile north-west of Double Hill, 17 miles from Dunedin.
The plane crashed in heavy fog at 5.20 p.m. yesterday when returning from a flight to Oamaru.
Mr Stevenson, who was the pilot, was a son of Mr J. H. Stevenson, Mayor of Balclutha. He was a squadron leader in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II. He was immediate past president of the Balclutha Aero Club.
Mr Wright was the sole passenger in the aircraft, which belonged to the Otago Aero Club.
Search parties organised by the Search and Rescue Organisation left Dunedin last night at very short notice and other parties were standing by this morning ready to carry on.
In charge of the operations were Messrs W. S. Gilkison and R. Craigie. Mr Gilkison said today that this was the sort of work for which the rescue organisation had been formed, and it proved its value.
The bodies of the two men were brought to Dunedin late this afternoon.
Both were married, with young families. -Press, 20/5/1954.
FUNERAL NOTICES
STEVENSON — The Funeral of the late William John Stevenson will leave the Balclutha Presbyterian Church Tomorrow (Friday), May 21, at the conclusion of a service commencing at 3 p.m., for the Balclutha Lawn Cemetery. W. Lovie, Balclutha. -Press, 20/5/1954.
FATAL PLANE CRASH
WIDOW’S CLAIM FOR DAMAGES
PILOT ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN INTOXICATED
(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, March 27.
Evidence that a dead pilot’s blood contained enough alcohol to make six or seven men out of 10 incapable of safely driving a car was given by Dr. Eric F. D'Ath, professor of pathology at the Otago Medical School, when he appeared as a witness in a Supreme Court action in which the widow of a passenger, also killed when the plane crashed. Ethel Olive Wright, is claiming £8000 general and £36 11s special damages from John H. Stevenson, Ltd., garage proprietors, of Balclutha.
The pilot, William John Stevenson, was a sub-manager of the firm. The plane crashed near Waitati on May 18, 1954, on a flight from Hilderthorpe to Taieri. Both Stevenson and William Russel Wright, a Kaitangata salesman, the only occupants of the plane, were killed.
Hugh Henry Skilling, a flying instructor, said in evidence that a prudent pilot would have flown down the coast and not have taken the inland course. He considered Stevenson was flying in a position he should have never been in.
Evidence that both men were sober was given by Robert Alfred Stevenson, a garage proprietor, of Oamaru, who had a business discussion with both men before the flight.
Mr A. N. Haggitt. counsel for the defence, said that the allegations that Wright’s death had been caused by the intoxication of Stevenson were totally unjustified. He submitted that the venture, which could only be explained by a mad enthusiasm for flying. was so far removed from employment that it was outside the responsibility of the company.
Mr J. P. Ward, for Mrs Wright, submitted that both men had been engaged on the company’s business from start to finish. Expert medical evidence, he said, had shown that Stevenson’s judgment had been impaired, and it was a reasonable inference that beer had been consumed in the air. Mr Justice Henry will address the jury tomorrow morning. -Press, 28/3/1956.
DEATH IN AIR CRASH
JURY FINDS FOR WIDOW
(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, March 28.
Damages of £4836 11s were awarded to Mrs Ethel Olive Wright in the Supreme Court today by a jury that heard her claim for £8036 11s against the Balclutha company of John H. Stevenson, Ltd. The claim was a sequel to a crash in the hills inland of Waitati on May 18, 1954, of an Auster aircraft and the death of the two occupants, the pilot, William John Stevenson, director and sub-manager of the Balclutha company, and a passenger, William Russell Wright, husband of the plaintiff.
The jury found that in making the trip from Taieri to Oamaru and return by aeroplane Stevenson was not acting within the scope of his employment, but that Wright made the journey on the instruction of Stevenson to take part in business on behalf of the company. The jury considered that Wright’s death was caused by negligence by Stevenson in several instances.
Both parties moved for judgment, and argument on their motions will be heard later. -Press, 29/3/1956.
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