ESCAPE FOR PILOT
Failure Of Engine (N Z Press Association) INVERCARGILL, May 28. A New Plymouth pilot, Mr G. H. Downes, aged 30, had only a few seconds to make a life-or-death decision when the engine of his Auster failed 2500 ft above Tuapeka yesterday afternoon. His decision was a lucky one. He picked the only landing spot for miles around and brought his aircraft down without suffering any injuries, in spite of hitting a sheep just as he touched down. The undercarriage, the port wing and the propeller of the aeroplane .owned by Rural Aviation, Ltd., were damaged. Mr Downes, an air traffic controller with the Department of Civil Aviation, suffered only cuts to his hands. “Before I touched down I saw that I w-as going to land uohill, but I made it in spite of the sheep.” Mr Downes said. “The aeroplane ploughed over the ground for about 20 yards and then stopped.”
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 16
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155ESCAPE FOR PILOT Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 16
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