AVIATION

Grey River Argus, 10 June 1933, Page 5

AVIATION

MATTERN’S LUCKY ESCAPE Gases Damage Stabiliser PETROL FUMES CAUSE NAUSEA. (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON, June S. A special message says; Mattern telephoned from Belovo that he was forced to land owing to gases damaging tho stabiliser. He adds; “1 loft Omsk at 1.10 in the morning. Four hours later I began to feel queer, then had nausea, as I

(caught a real whiff of the fumes due to a leaky petrol pipe. There were 'only miles of trees below, and my •head was spinning like a top. I tried i lilting the plane to get fresh air, and 'was just wondering yvhat was going to [happen, when 1 saw a clear patch and I headed for it. lighting the fumes. ' “1 do not knoyy how 1 landed. I ■ found Russians employed at a. work|ers’ settlement besieging the plane. 1 crawled on I ami collapsed. “Tho workers took me to a hut. and I lay in a bunk, terribly sick. T later felt better, and inspected the plane. I found I had made a lucky landing, striking the ground with the tai] in, tho air. cracking the stabiliser. Th’e Russians sent mechanics from Novosibirsk, and also a plane with enough steel to patch the plane. I shall make her fly to Krasnoyarsk, where she will bo properly- repaired.’' LATER. Mattern resumed his flight at 4 a.m. LATER. Alattorn has landed safely at Kuasuayarsk CALCUTTA. Juno 8. The Airways “Atlanta.” on route for Australia, has arrived at Calcutta.