Pilot’s Skill Saves 3D Lives In Forced Landing Of Airliner

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22761, 6 October 1948, Page 5

Pilot’s Skill Saves 3D Lives In Forced Landing Of Airliner

SYDNEY, Oct. 5. Passengers aboard the Australian National Airways Dakota .Kanna agree that they owe their lives to the skill and judgment of tbi chief pilot, Captain A. Hubbard, D. 5.0., D.F.C., a former bomber pilot who was decorated for his pari in the raid on the Mohne and Eder dams.

In seven minutes the plane descended 7000 feet with a blazing port motor, cut through on electric cable carrying 66,000 volts, hopped a tree, had part of a wing sheared away by another tree, and finally skidded over the brow of a hill to come to rest in the only relatively clear patch in a strip of rugged country—l 4 miles from Yass. When it hit the hillside with the wheels down the plane ran for 200yds. uphill, overshot the top and continued about 200 yards down the other side. A dead 'tree tore off the port wing outboard of the motor. Another stump knocked down the tail wheel and the tail sank deep into the soft earth acting as a brake. When the motor burst into flames the pilot knew that he had to land as quickly as possible. “I turned off the petrol supply to the port engine,” said Captain Hubbard. “I looked for a patch where there were no green trees and said a lot of prayers. “There were dead trees and stumps here and there and I just hoped for the best. 1 didn’t count on the high tension wires, but there were three just at the spot where I planned to land.

“I couldn’t see the wires until we were right on top of them. We went under two and carried away the lowest one. It was an anxious moment as we touched the ground with the port motor still on fire.”

When the plane ran to a standstill the 27 passengers and crew of three unfastened their safety belts and stepped _ out unhurt to watch the motor burn for another half an hour.