TO HAWAII

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 September 1925, Page 5

TO HAWAII

FLIGHT ENDS DISASTROUSLY

SEAPLANE MISSING. ITS LOSS FEARED. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPY RIGHT. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1. It is feared that all live members oi the crew of PN No. I seaplane, participating in the liiglit from San Francisco tc Hawaii, iiave been lost, 'lne plane is commanded by Commander tvoclgers. . Tne tirst message received from plane No.. I expressed tne tears ol the aviators that a ’plane landing in a choppy sea would not survive long. Navy officials at Honolulu are ordering patrol snips to search the course. Tney endorsed the fears, saying the .cngrh of survival above water depends on the kind of lauding, the damage to tne ’plane, and the supply of cot to cairn the waters. While disappointed, tne officials declare that a record was made for the distance over water. Commander Rodgers had earlier reported that he had 110 trouble, and estimated that he was nearing the destroyer I)oyin, J.UOO miles from San Francisco. lor the first 800 mi.es he averaged approximately 85 land miles per iiour. He was 50 nautical miles behind the schedule. It is expected that PB, which will attempt the flight earlier in the week, and which has a greater capacity lor fuel, will be successful. With motors stopped ancl out ot fuel No. 1 ’plane was battling in a stormy sea on Tuesday in heavy rain. It probably'came down at 1.45. Naval vesse * are searching, but nothing has been heard from it lor several hours. The Inst radio message received from Commander Bodgers stated: “Guess we will be gone it we have to descend in this rough sea without a motor.”

Commander J. Rodgers was in command of the flight expedition. His navigation officer and second pilot was Lieut. B. J. Connell.