Death Claims Australian Aviator and Army Officer in Air Tragedy
(By The Associated Press)
LONDON, April 13.—Sir
Ross Smith, the Austrian [sic] aviator, who, with his brother, Sir Keith, planned to start from Croydon, April 23, on a flight around the world, was killed when his plane crashed in a practice flight today.
Lieutenant Bennett, an engineer, who was planning to accompany Sir Ross and his brother on their round-the-world flight, also was killed.
The machine which crashed was the one the Smiths intended to use in their flight. Captain Conkerill, of the Vickers company, had previously flown it for a half hour, then handed it over to Captain Smith.
As the machine was approaching the airdrome to land it got into a spin, and the crash followed.
The accident occurred 15 minutes after Captain Smith and Lieutenant Bennett began their flight. Sir Keith Smith had intended to make a trial flight with them, but he arrived at the airdrome too late and was among the crowd that witnessed the tragedy.
The machine had climbed gracefully to a height of more than 3,000 feet, when suddenly her nose dipped and she went into a spin. The spectators thought the airmen were attempting a stunt, but it soon became apparent that the plane was out of control.
It started downward in a slow spin, which became faster and faster until the machine hit the earth with such terrific impact that the plane was splintered.
Sir Ross was killed instantly and Lieutenant Bennett died a few minutes later.
Captain Sir Ross Smith sprang into prominence in aviation in 1919, when, accompanied by his brother, Sir Keith, he made a flight from England to Australia, 11,500 miles, winning a prize of £10,000 from the Australian government. Both aviators were knighted for the feat.
Captain Smith saw distinguished service in the European war, first with the Australian Light Horse in Egypt to Gallipoli, and later as an aviator with the Australian flying corps in Egypt and Palestine. He was one of the British army aviators who in December, 1918, made the first flight from Cairo to Calcutta.
Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette - Friday, April 14, 1922
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