FATAL CRASH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 241, 11 October 1934, Page 5

FATAL CRASH.

HISTORIC 'PLANE. QUEENSLAND TRAGEDY. THREE LIVES LOST. After intensive search the Qantas aeroplane Atlanta, which was reported missing on October 4 between Longreach and Winton, in Queensland, was found next day 10 niile<s south of Winton. The 'plane was wrecked, and the pilot, Mr. Norman Chapman, and two passengers, Mr. li. Ilenrikan, sales manager of the Shell Company, Sydney, and Mr. W. McKnee, manager of a sandalwood cutting company, were burned to death.

Three 'planes took part in the search for the missing machine, Pilot Owen in one machine, Pilot Donaldson in a second 'plane, and Pilot Hegarty in the third, all intending to sweep southwards towards Longreach. About 7.20 a.m. Owen signalled Donaldson, and both circled and confirmed their worst fears. They immediately returned to Winton and reported that they discovered the metal framework of the 'plane about 10 miles southward. Owen flew low enough to discover that a lire had occurred, but the country was too rough to make a landing. The wrecked machine was practically on its usual course. Ground parties, with police in charge, left immediately for the scene by motor cars, but, owing to the rough nature of the country, the}' had to negotiate much of the distance on foot. They later found the wrecked 'plane.

It is believed that engine trouble developed, as the nose of the machine was embedded in the ground. It was facing east, which was opposite to the course visually taken on this flight. The machine was completely burnt except one wing tip. Chapman's body, which had been thrown out bv the crash, was about 4ft in front of the machine. The other bodies were in the cabin. The wheel spokes were broken, indicating that a pancake landing was made. The propeller was also broken and the engine was partly buried.

The bodies of the victims were brought" 1 to Winton. They were burnt beyond recognition.

A Pioneer 'Plane. The Atalanta was a pioneer of aviation in Western Queensland and was the heroine of two famous flights. A D.H. 50 machine, she was built at Longreach in the workshops of Qantas seven years ago. She was capable of carrying four passengers, and was powered with a 450 h.p. Bristol Jupiter engine, which gave her an air speed of considerably more than 100 miles an hour. For sonic years she flew up and down the western portions of Queensland, carrying passengers, mails and cargo. Lester Brain, chief pilot of Qantas, and now en route to Australia with the first English mail machine, was her pilot on most of the runs. In 1929 the Atalanta, piloted by Brain, flew from Wave Hill across desert country, and found the bodies of Flight-Lieutenant Anderson and hi* mechanic, Hitchcock, beside their wrecked 'plane, the Kookaburra. Within three weeks of that time, the Atalanta, again | piloted by Brain, found, at Cape Don, ! Flight-Lieutenant Moir and FlyingOfficer Owen, standing by their crippled Vickers Velloro 'plane, which they had flown from England. Brain was awarded the Air Force Cross by the King for his exploits. To-day, Owen, who is now chief pilot for the Shell Company, found the charred remains of the stout little 'plane which had located him five years ago, and had carried him back to civilisation.

Referring to a report that the 'plane was flying low, Mr. Hudson Fysh, managing director of Qantas, said that it would be doing that on account of the dust in the air, which made visibility bad. Despite its age, the Atalanta was in perfect working order when it set out 011 its last flight. It was not insured, and the company did not cov».r its passengers by insurance. The company had only one other serious accident since its inception in 1920, that being in 1927, when a 'plane crashed near Tambo, resulting in the death of the pilot and two passengers. Since the inception of the services, Qantas aeroplanes had been winging their way on errands, of mercy, conveying sick and doctors, and so being the means of savincr many lives. In 14 years' operations, during which 2,230,000 miles had been flown, only two accidents had happened to Qantas 'planes involving injuries to passengers.