The Mercury (Hobart), Monday 6 January 1941, page 2

PILOT DIES

Training School Crash

SYDNEY. Sunday - An RAAF flying instructor was killed and a pupil pilot, a flying officer, and a sergeant pilot were injured yesterday morning when a Tiger Moth trainer aeroplane crashed into a desk on the Grong Grong advanced landing ground, near Narrandera, during low flying practice The desk was being used for administrative purposes.

Sgt-Pilot A. L. B. Smith (24) married of Sydney, was killed, Leading Aircraftman L. N. Ross (22), of Balwyn (V), his pupil, received facial injuries and severe shock. Flying-Officer D. P. Everett (28) of West Australia who was sitting at the desk received a compound fracture of an ankle when he was hurled into the air and Sgt-Pilot D. J. Bourke who also was at the desk received minor injuries.

Central area headquarters of the RAAF stated that Smith and Ross were carrying out low-flying instruction exercises when a wing tip crashed into the flight desk-a desk from which flying administration is controlled. The wing was practically torn off and the aircraft climbed to about 100ft and crashed. Smith died shortly afterwards.

Sgt-Pilot Smith w as the son of Mr. A. E. Smith general manager of Australian Glass Manufacturing Co. He joined the RAAF in October and was posted to Narrandera as an instructor early in December. An engineer in civil life he had flown 288 hours in Australia, England and America before joining up.