Irish aviator dies in plane crash

Major Alexander William Hewetson, the Irish aviator, was killed shortly after dawn yesterday when his plane crashed on Salisbury Plain in England.

Major Hewetson had taken off in his monoplane and had reached a height of 100 feet when the machine overbanked, slide-slipped and crashed. When the plane struck the ground, the petrol tank burst and there was a loud explosion.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Colonel Seely, the Secretary of State for War, stated that the incident was in no way connected with the Royal Flying Corps and that the plane involved was not an army one, but one made by the Bristol company.

Major Hewetson (44) was on leave from India and was carrying out tests to secure his pilot’s licence.