AIR-LINER’S CRASH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20825, 2 July 1942, Page 2

AIR-LINER’S CRASH

INQUIRY EVIDENCE RADIO CALLS TO PLANE MESSAGES ON BEARINGS (P.A.) NELSON, this dav. The board of inquiry, Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., Captain O. Garden and Squadrcn-Leader G. B. Bolt, which is investigating the loss of the air liner which crashed on Mount Richmond on May 7, killing the two pilots and three passengers, heard further evidence yesterday afternoon. Dr. N. A. Foden appeared for the acting Controller of Civil Aviation, Mr. D. W. Virtue appeared for Union Airways, and Mr. M. C. 11. Cheek for Mrs. Johnston, widow of one of the pilots. Detective Tripney said there were no instruments found to indicate the time of impact or the height of the plane. Squadron-Leader L. F. P. Taylor, who flew over the wreckage, < aid the altimeter showed a height of a little over 5000 ft. The nose cap of the plane was embedded in the rock face. The plane departed from Rongotai at 7.34 a.m. “Listen to My Motor” Charles Stebbings, radio operator of the Post and Telegraph Department at Nelson, said that at 8.5 a.m. the plane asked Blenheim for its true bearing and at 8.6 Blenheim gave the plane the magnetic reciprocal bearing. At 8.8 a.m. Nelson gave the plane the true bearing and the plane' told Nelson: “Listen to my motor.” Also at 8.8 a.m. a message from the plane asked for the magnetic reciprocal bearing. The plane indicated that it was sending a dash to enable the station to take a bearing. At 8.9 a.m. Nelson gave further bearings. At 8.9 a.m. also the plane notified that it had received the previous message and asked Nelson to tell Wellington to keep quiet. At 8.10 a.m. and at 8.15 a.m. further bearings were given and acknowledged. The witness stated that a further magnetic reciprocal bearing was sent out but not acknowledged. From then on a number of messages inquiring if the bearing was received were not answered. Records From Memory Cross-examined, the witness said he was very busy that morning because the other man usually on the station was not present and he had made seme log entries concerning the times of Ihe messages from memory. The bearing given at 8.16 was 295. There / was no possibility that he sent a' bearing of 248. instead of 278 at 8.13 a.m. He had heard counsel say that another station claimed to have heard him say 248. Mr. Virtue interjected that he believed that all bearings ' were not recorded in the Nelson Log. If another station heard 248 at 8.13 a.m., Johnston, the pilot, might also have heard it. It would make the, pilot think he was north of his (Sburse, whereas he was probably south of it.