FORCED LANDING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 94, 20 March 1936, Page 8

FORCED LANDING

PALMERSTON NORTH ’PLANE. ON HALCOMBE HILLS. • Seen'passing over Feilding and lab ouring somewhat heavily .agaa-.t a head tvindi the Moth aeroplane ZKABA owned by the Manawatu Aerq Club made a forced landing on a bn . side at the back of the Maaino Roa-, near Halcombe, just before 10 o docthis morning. Ihe machine was ir, charge of Pilot-Officer Firth and with him as passenger was, Mr 1 . Cast.es. of Palmerston north both escaped comparatively lightly . from the accident. 31 r Firth received cuts about, iiie face and forehead and a severe shaking while 3lr Castles was not injured! but sustained a severe shoe.-; and collapsed shortly afterward® from the effects of his experience. Several people in I. eliding noticed t»e slow headway the plane was max, ing, and when it was seen to crash assistance was forthcoming from ah, Quarters. The ’plane had come down in the hilly country in the vicimtv or Mr Parsons’s property, the landing actually. taking place on a hillside. Fortunately, the machine had come down into'a clump of gorse and ti, tree which had substantially broken its fall and halted its speed before it hit the hillside. The propeller was broken and the wings and undercarriage damaged, but the occupants were able to extricate themselves unawed, and when assistance arrived were brought out to . the Makino Road, where they received medical attention and were 'removed to the Palmerston North Hospital. , The ’plane was en route trom the 3lTson aerodrome to New 1 lymouth to take part in the pageant there tomorrow.