1941
What's interesting is the way the 1941 headline is structured giving information in pieces as the image below shows. |
| Rotorua Morning Post 20 October 1941, p 4 |
So what happened? First of all, the plane was a Moth bi-plane owned by the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Aero Club. Apparently, when the petrol tap was checked, it was turned past on, to the off position so as the aircraft took off the petrol flow to the engine failed. The pilot, Mr H. Boucher, having lifted off the runway, tried to land on a vacant section over the road from the aerodrome but fell short. So when he landed he caught part of the road edge, which wrenched the undercarriage off. Both the pilot, Mr Boucher and his passenger, Mr E. Shaw were able to extricate themselves without much difficulty the newspaper stated.
1965
The headline in 1965 is much more sobering.
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| Daily Post 2 October 1965, p 1 |
The light plane, a two-seater Victa air tourer, clipped high tension power lines at about 10.15 am and crashed in shrub very near to Western Heights High School. As in the 1941 incident, the plane belonged to the Rotorua Aero Club.
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| The fuselage of the plan where it ended up with wings broken off . Daily Post 2 October 1965 p 1 |
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| The engine was thrown clear of the wreckage. Daily Post 2 October 1965, p 1. |
Within minutes of the crash nearby residents, ambulance and fire brigade staff were on the scene. The pilot, John Murdoch was pulled from the plane but was dead on arrival at Rotorua Hospital.
John Murdoch (39) had only been in Rotorua for seven weeks, and was a Rotorua radio announcer. He had come to Rotorua from North Rhodesia where he had also been involved in broadcasting. During WW2 he had served with the Royal Air Force. The N.Z.B.C. team at Rotorua had been testing an idea of doing a programme from the air. It is believed Mr Murdoch, the only staff member to have a pilot's license, was testing this out at the time of the crash.
The crash into the power lines caused a power outage all over the city. Homes as far south as Reporoa and as far north as Mamaku were affected for about eight hours.
1974
The final event is a bit bizarre and the headline says it all!
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| Daily Post 2 October 1974, p 1 |
A helicopter flying over Mt Ngongotaha was hit on a rotor blade by a high velocity object, possibly a bullet. The Hughes 500 helicopter was operated by Wishart Helicopters Ltd. When the rotar blade was initially inspected a 10c piece sized gash was found on the surface, not something that would have been done by a stone. A scientific examination would need to be undertaken to establish the cause of the damage according to Detective Sergeant D.W.I. Beck, who was in charge of the inquiry.
This blog was written by Trish. Thanks to Don Stafford Collection and the Daily Post.
