Pilot to be given award
PA Wellington Captain David Cronin, of United Airlines flight 811, which had its cargo door ripped off while on a flight to New Zealand in February, will be presented with an award at the annual Royal New Zealand Aero Club’s conference today. Captain Cronin guided the Boeing 747 to safety after the door was ripped off at 23,000 ft while on a flight from Honolulu to Auckland.
Nine passengers, including a Wellington man, Mr Lee Campbell, were killed, 17 minutes after take-off from Honolulu. The secretary of the Royal New Zealand Aero Club, Mr Roger Girdlestone, said Captain Cronin would be presented with an Outstanding Airmanship Award which recognised his skill in returning the crippled aircraft to Honolulu.
Captain Cronin had only one chance to land the jumbo jet after the acci-
dent because it was flying on only two engines. Airspeed calculations had to be revised constantly during the flight back to Hawaii, because the hole had caused great pressure on the aircraft and was causing drag. To lighten the load, more than 40,000 kg of fuel was dumped. Captain Cronin, who is now retired, will be presented with the award by the Opposition’s spokesman on aviation, Mr Warren Cooper.
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Press, 22 June 1989, Page 22
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206Pilot to be given award Press, 22 June 1989, Page 22
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