FORCED LANDING

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21118, 20 March 1934, Page 8

FORCED LANDING

i « | ACCIDENT TO SOUTHERN CROSS TENDER MISHAP IN DARKNESS NEAR RAMUORA Making a forced landing in a field near Rangiora last evening while on i its way from Motueka to ChristI church, the Rotorua Airways Puss j Moth., piloted by Squadron Leader JA. J. Duller, which acts as tender !to Sir Charles Kingsforri-Smith's '■ monoplane, the Southern Cross, had its unrier-carriage wrecked and its I propeller smashed. Neither Squad- | ron Leader Butler nor -Mr H. Sarjgont. one of the Southern Cross's | crew ol mechanics, who was travelling in the machine, was injured.

The Puss Moth left Motueka at 4.20 p.m.. at the same time as the Southern Cross. Mr Wilfrid King.'ford-Smith, who was a passenger in the Southern Cross, told a representative of "The Press" last evening that, though the weather was calm, heavy cloud was experienced for about 180 miles north of Kaikoura. Shortly before the Southern Cross entered this cloud he had looked behind and seen that the Puss J'oth was no longer following the big machine, and he had taken"it for granted that Squadron Leader Butler had landed at Blenheim. However, there had been no word of the machine when the Southern Cross reached Christchurch at 0.55 p.m.. and at M o'clock he had put through a toll call to Blenheim to find out if anything was known of the machine's whereabouts. However, before the call was completed Squad rial Leader Butler telephoned from near Kangiora and explained that lie had been forced to land. The Puss Moth made slow progress through the heavy cloud bank north of Kaikoura, and when near Rangiora Squadron Leader Butler found it so dark that he was unable to read his petrol gauge. Being uncertain of his position and uncertain of the quantity of petrol left in the tanks he decided to put the machine down in a paddock which appeared to be suitable. However, in the bad light the machine struck some obstruction, tearing off the undercarriage and smashing one blade of the propeller. As soon as word was received in Christchurch of the accident Mr W. Machm, jun., aviation officer for the Vacuum Oil Company, who is accompanying the Southern Cross on her tour, went out to the scene, a paddock owned by Mr W. J. Guy, at Fcrnside. about three miles from Rangiora. lie found that the undercarriage of the machine had been considerably damaged and the propeller broken. The machin-. will be brought into Christchivch this morning and taken to Wigram Aerodrome, where repairs will be carried out. It is e.tneeted that the repairs wil! take thieo or four days to' complete, and in the meantime ih.- Southern Cro>s will operate without a tender.