“MUTING” IN THE AIR.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 December 1927, Page 9

“MUTING” IN THE AIR.

STORY OE ATLANTIC FLIGHT. BLOWS NARROWLY AVERTED. Three times, prior to the present flight, which is thought to have ended disastrously, Mrs I ranees Grayson has started the Dawn from the coast of Maine to fly to Denmark, but each time, after an hour’s flight, she has returned to her base, engine trouble being given as the reason. Sunday, October 23, was her third attempt when she flew 495 miles and turned back, explaining that one of the motors broke down.

it now appears there was “mutiny” of the crew of the Dawn—the first air mutiny on record. The Dawn, after heading east, was turned west without Mrs Grayson’s knowledge and without her consent. Mrs Grayson, nominally in command ;jf the expedition was accompanied by Brice Golds borough, navigator, and W'ilmer Stultz, pilot. Neither the men nor Mrs Grayson would make an explicit statement, hut from the little that lias been said a physical encounter in the narrow confines of the cabin of the Dawn, then 400 ft. above the Atlantic, was narrowly averted between Goklsborough and Stultz. Goldsborough and Mrs'Grayson discovered that instead of flying towards Denmark they were on their way back to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, whence they hopped off. Mrs Grayson insisted that the original course must be resumed, but Stultz paid no heed to her commands or protests and' brought the ’plane back to its starting point. Stultz explained that lie turned the ’plane back when he ran into a thick soupy f-og that shut out all sight of sky or water, and his altimeter showed he was -only 400 ft. above the water. One of the motors was not working properly and both motors were conjoining 25 per cent, more fuel tbs»u was estimated, which would have left them with empty tallies in mid-ocean. There was nothing left except to turn back. . .