Irish Press 23rd July, 1946 (abridged)
Getting into difficulties several hundred miles from the Galway coast, with one engine crippled and petrol running out, a Canadian four-engined D.C.4 aircraft succeeded last evening in reaching Tarrea, near Kinvara, on the coast. The pilot and radio officer, both from Montreal, were injured and are in Galway Central Hospital.
It was on its way on a delivery flight to Belgian Airlines, from Labrador to Brussels, and was due to stop at Rineanna. Contact at the Rineanna control tower was lost when the plan was 1,200 miles out over the sea. For several hours planes were out from Shannon Airport, were in search of the missing aircraft, but they were not able to locate it. The D.C.4 crashed into a ploughed field at Tarrea, about two and a half miles from Kinvara, tore through a fence, through two stone walls and across a road. Its propellers were torn off, one wing was torn away and the four engines scattered about the field and roadway.
The pilot, Captain Ainsley, of Montreal, sustained severe, but not serious injuries. Radio Officer Eardley, also of Montreal, received extensive head injuries, and Navigation Officer J.A.Brown, the only other occupant of the aircraft, escaped with slight injuries.
Gardai from Kinvara and Ardrahan were quickly on the scene with many local people, while Dr. J. Greene, medical officer, Kinvara, treated the injured officers, and had the pilot and radio officer removed by ambulance to Galway Central Hospital, where they were stated last night to be comfortable. Military from Renmore Barracks, Galway, rushed to the scene, took charge of the wrecked plane, and collected papers and documents which had been scattered about.
