Post by Dave Homewood on May 22, 2024 22:11:52 GMT 12
Wow, this is a bit crazy. Was he suicidal, or did he think he was making an exciting broadcast?
Frist up, from The Press, 4 October 1965:
Man Killed When Plane Crashes
(New Zealand Press Association)
ROTORUA, October 3.
An N.Z.B.C. announcer was killed yesterday when the light plane he was flying crashed into high-tension power lines over Western Heights High School.
He was John Murdoch, aged 40, an Englishman who came to New Zealand about two months ago from Zambia. Mr Murdoch was testing a radio link with Station IZC Rotorua in preparation for a broadcast when the plane crashed.
The crash cut the power supply in the Rotorua area for most of yesterday afternoon. The plane, a two-seater Victa, was a wreck. Parts of the aircraft were scattered over a 50-yard radius.
Mr C. Barker, of 67 Quarry road, said he saw the plane hit the power lines. “He was flying low across the school grounds and at first I thought he intended going under the lines.
"Then he hit and there was a brilliant blue flash. I lost sight of the plane behind the house and ran over. Four other blokes arrived at the same time.
“The main body of the plane was upside down in the ditch and we had to lift it over to get the pilot out.” said Mr Barker. “He was still in the cockpit with his safety belt holding him.”
A Civil Aviation Department inspector, Mr E. F. Harvie, spent three hours examining the wreckage today. ' After the inspection members of the Rotorua Aero Club salvaged the aircraft. The club’s instructor-man-ager, Mr I. P. Palmer, said the plane could possibly be rebuilt.
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From The Press, 11 December 1965.
Flew Between Goal Posts
(N.Z. Press Association) ROTORUA, Dec. 10.
John Bedford Murdoch had made a flight in complete defiance of authority, said the Coroner (Mr E. Roe) today at an inquest into the death of Murdoch, the pilot of an aircraft which tore down power lines when it crashed. Power in Rotorua was off for eight hours.
The Coroner said three facts emerged from the evidence taken at the inquest—that Murdoch, aged 42, an N.Z.B.C. announcer, was flying far too low for safety. The regulation height over a built up area was 1000 feet, but it was clear from a tape recording made during the flight that at times he was not more than 100 feet from the ground; that Murdoch was aware that he needed permission to fly low, and that he flew without permission, and it appeared he had done nothing to obtain it.
Sergeant A. A Humphrys, said he saw an aircraft fly within 50 feet of the Rotorua Post Office flag-pole at 10.12 a.m. on October 2. He produced a transcript of a tape recording made by the N.Z.B.C. of the pilot’s conversation during the flight In the transcript Murdoch said that it was bumpy and was “not a particularly good day” for flying over Rotorua. Later he told the technician that he was “going down over” him and repeated that the conditions were bumpy.
A few seconds after 10.15 a.m. he said he was over the Western Heights School and was going down to 200 feet, then 100 feet and “I’m going between the goal posts now. I’m right between the posts.’’ The tape then went dead.
Frist up, from The Press, 4 October 1965:
Man Killed When Plane Crashes
(New Zealand Press Association)
ROTORUA, October 3.
An N.Z.B.C. announcer was killed yesterday when the light plane he was flying crashed into high-tension power lines over Western Heights High School.
He was John Murdoch, aged 40, an Englishman who came to New Zealand about two months ago from Zambia. Mr Murdoch was testing a radio link with Station IZC Rotorua in preparation for a broadcast when the plane crashed.
The crash cut the power supply in the Rotorua area for most of yesterday afternoon. The plane, a two-seater Victa, was a wreck. Parts of the aircraft were scattered over a 50-yard radius.
Mr C. Barker, of 67 Quarry road, said he saw the plane hit the power lines. “He was flying low across the school grounds and at first I thought he intended going under the lines.
"Then he hit and there was a brilliant blue flash. I lost sight of the plane behind the house and ran over. Four other blokes arrived at the same time.
“The main body of the plane was upside down in the ditch and we had to lift it over to get the pilot out.” said Mr Barker. “He was still in the cockpit with his safety belt holding him.”
A Civil Aviation Department inspector, Mr E. F. Harvie, spent three hours examining the wreckage today. ' After the inspection members of the Rotorua Aero Club salvaged the aircraft. The club’s instructor-man-ager, Mr I. P. Palmer, said the plane could possibly be rebuilt.
-----------------------
From The Press, 11 December 1965.
Flew Between Goal Posts
(N.Z. Press Association) ROTORUA, Dec. 10.
John Bedford Murdoch had made a flight in complete defiance of authority, said the Coroner (Mr E. Roe) today at an inquest into the death of Murdoch, the pilot of an aircraft which tore down power lines when it crashed. Power in Rotorua was off for eight hours.
The Coroner said three facts emerged from the evidence taken at the inquest—that Murdoch, aged 42, an N.Z.B.C. announcer, was flying far too low for safety. The regulation height over a built up area was 1000 feet, but it was clear from a tape recording made during the flight that at times he was not more than 100 feet from the ground; that Murdoch was aware that he needed permission to fly low, and that he flew without permission, and it appeared he had done nothing to obtain it.
Sergeant A. A Humphrys, said he saw an aircraft fly within 50 feet of the Rotorua Post Office flag-pole at 10.12 a.m. on October 2. He produced a transcript of a tape recording made by the N.Z.B.C. of the pilot’s conversation during the flight In the transcript Murdoch said that it was bumpy and was “not a particularly good day” for flying over Rotorua. Later he told the technician that he was “going down over” him and repeated that the conditions were bumpy.
A few seconds after 10.15 a.m. he said he was over the Western Heights School and was going down to 200 feet, then 100 feet and “I’m going between the goal posts now. I’m right between the posts.’’ The tape then went dead.
