LONELY RESTING PLACE

Evening Star, Issue 20686, 8 January 1931, Page 12

LONELY RESTING PLACE

IMPACT •* CUSHIONED " BY PEATY SURFACE [SpECIIT, TO TUB CHRIoTCIIUI'-JH, January S. A Christchurch ‘ Star ’ represeuta live visited the plane at daylight this morning. A more lonely spot for the end of the groat adventure it would he impossible to imagine, it was a typical flax swamp between the river and the bushed hills. Tho plane was very difficult to, get at, as the swamp was up to a man’s middle in places. The machine lies on its back, its tail sticking up at an angle of -lodeg. When Menzie came ! earth tho machine struck flax bushes, which acted as a sort of brake and were torn up for a distance of 40ft. The piano nose-dived, tho propeller blades snapped off. and the machine turned turtle. t Tho impact must have been cushioned by the peaty nature of the swamp, and the landing could not have b- n more fortunate under the circumstances.

As evidence of the ease with which tho machine camo to rest it can bo mentioned Unit the only damage, in addition to that to tho propeller, is a broken strut on one wing and the rudder disabledA Speaking as a layman, tho Press representative says that salvage should not be difficult, but will probably take time owing to the nature of the swamp. Probably the plane will be dismantled and then skidded on timber balks over the treacherous swamp.