DELAY IN SIBERIA

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 218, 10 June 1933, Page 11

DELAY IN SIBERIA

Mattern Off Again After Forced Landing fl ROUND-WORLD FLYER By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright London, June 8. Mr. James Mattern, the American airman, who is flying solo round the world, made a forced landing at Prokopievsk, In Siberia, between Omsk and Krasnoiarsk. In a special telephone message Mr. Mattern says that he was forced to land owing to being gassed by petrol fumes. The landing damaged the stabiliser. “I left Omsk,” he adds. “at 1.10 in the morning. Four hours later 1 began to feel queer, and then nausea almost overcame me. as I caught a real whiff of the fumes due to a leaky petrol pipe. With only miles of trees below and my head spinning like a top 1 tried tilting the aeroplane to get fresh air. I was just wondering wliat was going to happen when I saw a clear natch and headed for it, fighting the fumes. I don’t know how I landed. "I found Russians, employed in a workers’ settlement, besieging the aeroplane. 1 crawled out and collapsed The workers took me to a hut, where I lay in a bunk . terribly sick. Later I felt better and Inspected the aeroplane and found I had made a lucky landing, striking the ground with the tail and cracking the stabiliser. The Russians sent mechanics from Novosibirsk. and also an aeroplane with enough steel to patch my machine. I shall make her fly to Krasnoiarsk, where she can be properly repaired.” MR. ULM’S PLANS Flight Round the World SOUTHERN MOON TESTED (Received June 9,11.35 p.m.) Sydney, June 9. Preparations for his projected flight round the world are being made by Mr. C. T. P. Ulm, who, with his co-pilots. Mr. G. A. Allen and Mr. G. P. Taylor, has reconditioned the former Australian National Airways Ltd.’s monoplane. Southern Moon. They Intend to cross the Pacific via Suva and Honolulu. The final test of the monoplane, weighted with a ton and a half of petrol, was completed to-day.