OTTER CRASH

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29398, 28 December 1960, Page 8

OTTER CRASH

Salvage Attempt Doubtful It is not yet known whether a United States Navy Otter skiplane which made a forced landing on the Ross Ice Shelf, 30 miles east of the Darwin Glacier, will be salvaged. The plane landed in very rough terrain, with its engine completely disabled, and damaged a ski assembly. The four men aboard were not injured. Any salvage attempt will depend on the extent of the mechanical trouble and the nature of the ground where the plane is standing. If the damage to the plane is too great, a salvage attempt may not be made. A ski-equipped Dakota aircraft of the United States Navy VX6 squadron which crash-landed in the Horlick Range, about 300 miles from the South Pole, a fortnight ago, was repaired and flown out to McMurdo Sound on Christmas Day. This plane had damaged its landing equipment. Christmas Day Crash Christmas Day at McMurdo Sound was also marked by the crash-landing of a second United States Navy Otter aircraft soon after a take-off.

It was piloted by Lieutenant (Junior Grade) William D. Hughes, but he and his four passengers were not injured. The aircraft struck a snow bank on the McMurdo Sound skiway while taking off, bounced off and became airborne, but because of loss of aileron control, was forced to crash-land after three-quarters of a mile. It is expected that the aircraft will be repairable.