TOSSED LIKE FEATHER

Evening Star, Issue 26029, 18 February 1947, Page 4

TOSSED LIKE FEATHER

SMALL PLANE IN THE 816 BLOW PILOT’S ORDEAL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 17. Viewed from ground level, the week-end gale was frightening enough, but to experience its full force in the cockpit of a light aircraft flying low over the sea and with every inch towards the land a battle, must have been terrifying in the extreme. This was the experience of Flying-officer D. W. Gray, of Whangaparoa, who attempted to pilot a Tiger Moth aeroplane from Wigram to Woodbourne on Saturday. Flying-officer Gray, who is with the R.N.Z.A.F. at Whenuapai, had purchased the plane from the Air Force and was flying it in stages to Auckland, where he intended to use it for pleasure flying. When he left at 9.40 a.m. front Wigram on Saturday, he was advised that the average wind velocity was 35 m.p.h. and that at Blenhei'm it was . from 7 to 8 m.p.hThe ceiling was given at 1,000 to 2,000 feet. . Twenty minutes after he had taken off, a gale warning was received at Wigram. It was then too late to relay the warning to the plane, which did not carry radio equipment, and it was not long before Flying-officer Gray was experiencing conditions far from those which he had been led to expect. The wind became terrific and the ceiling at times’was as low as 50ft. “ The turbulence was derrific and the motor was cutting out all the time,” commented Flying-officer Gray. “ The plane was taking a terrific buffeting and I expected the wings to come off at any time.” PLANE UNMANAGEABLE. At the time he was speaking of, said Flying-officer Gray, he was heading towards Woodbourne because lie realised that the Moth had not sufficient range to return to Wigram, and moreover, the head winds with which he would have to contend would have made it impossible. Flying north, his ground speed went up to 158 m.p.h. at one time, which was very high for a light aircraft. Along the coastal route, which was the most suitable under the difficult conditions from the point of view of observation, Flyingofficer Gray was at times, well out over the sea, and he experienced the greatest difficulty in making in again towards land. With the plane tossed about in the weirdest contortions by the 80-m.p.h. gale, Flying-officer Gray came to the conclusion that it would be impossible for him to reach Woodbourne, so he turned back, intending to land at the emergency field at Clarence. At this time the plane was so unmanageable and the engine so erratic, and the danger of the whole structure suffering a sudden and complete collapse, that the pilot considered the question of baling out. He admits he would have “ done it like a shot,” but for the fact that he realised the fierce off-shore wind must have carried him - into the sea should he have been able to gain sufficient altitude - to use his parachute, which was problematical. In any case, the pilot’s next move was to attempt an emergency landing at Clarence. DOWN ON BEACH. He did get within striking distance of the field, but he could not make a landing in the only possible way—up wind. He swung wide of the ’drome not attempting the difficult job of battling in to the field, and again carried on. By this time the necessity for getting the plane down while it still had sufficient fuel to remain airborne became obvious. Even then, with the terrific wind, the accomplishment presented difficulties enough. Awaiting a suitable comparative lull and selecting the best available ground, Flyingofficer Gray effected a perfect landing on a slightly undulating stretch of beach about a mile south of the field at Clarence. Much to the pilot’s surprise, all the damage which resulted was the shearing off of one of the struts. As soon as he had jumped down from the cockpit, Flying-officer Gray at once set about pegging down his aircraft, and he then set off to inform the staff at Clarence. Unfortunately, the plane came adrift before a salvage party could reach the scene, and the machine dragged along the beach for about 300yds, causing extensive damage. It was later taken to Woodbourne, and FlyingrOfficer Gray returned north to rejoin his unit at Whenuapai.