LOST ABOVE CLOUDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 12

LOST ABOVE CLOUDS

W.A.C. MOTH

FORCED LANDING MADE

Lost above the clouds in a Wellington Aero Club Moth, ZK-AAS, yesterday, Mr. H. J. Courtenay was unable to locate Wellington and when the machine ran out of petrol he made a forced landing on the beach at Cape Campbell, which, although in the South Island, is only 40 miles by airline from Rongotai. The pilot was not injured, but the undercarriage and the propeller of the machine were smashed.

Mr. Courtenay flew from Itongotai to Falmerston North on Thursday afternoon, and in company with another Wellington pilot, Mr. G. C. Martin, who was flying to Dannevirke, he left Milson aerodrome for Hastings at about 10.30 a.m. yesterday. Mr. Martin missed Mr. Courtenay over the Manawatu Gorge, and he arrived safely at Dannevirke. Nothing further was heard of the other aeroplane for some time, and arrangements were in hand for a search when word was received that Mr. Courtenay had landed on the beach near the lighthouse at Cape Campbell early in the afternoon. When he left Palmerston North his full tank of petrol gave him about 3J hours' flying time. Becoming lost above the clouds which covered the greater part of the southern portion of the North Island yesterday, Mr. Courtenay set a compass course for Wellington,, over which he passed, but he was unable to see the ground.

It is not yet known whether the machine can be flown back to Wellington after repairs, or whether it will have to be dismantled for the return journey.