Adventurous Flight of Plane to Taranaki

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7197, 21 April 1930, Page 3

Adventurous Flight of Plane to Taranaki

THREE LANDINGS MADE. MACHINE CAUGHT IN SAND. An adventurous air trip from Auckland to Now Plymouth was made ou Sunday by Lieutenant lan Keith, pilot to the New Plymouth Club, and Mr E. E. Nielson, secretary of the club, in the club’s Moth machine. Not less than three landings had to be made during the trip, and it was only by the display of considerable skill on the part of the pilot that an aecident was averted. The machine left Auckland at 7.10 a.m., and when it was nearing Kawhia a heavy storm could be seen approaching from the sea. The pilot made an effort to avoid the disturbance and went out to sea in an endeavour to get behind it, but to no avail. Soon the machine was being buffeted by a raging gale. Blinding rain was beating down and the fliers oould see practically nothing. Observing a patch of beach at the mouth of the river, Lieutenant Keith decided, to land and let the storm pass by. He brought the aeroplane down as close as possible to the water where it was expected that the sand would be hard. However, the aeroplane'3 wheels sank into the sand and the machine was caught at the water’s edge. Tail Shoots Skywards.

The tide was rising fast with rain pouring down and the wind driving stinging sand into their faces. They set to work to drag the machine out. At first their efforts were futile and the wave 3 were lapping up against

their shoes as they struggled to move the aeroplane. After the expenditure of much energy the machine was pulled back a few yards and the pair resumed their seats. The pilot speeder/ up the engine and tried to get the aeroplane to rise. The engine was roaring. Suddenly, to their great surprise, the tail shot up skywards and the machine stood on its nose with the propeller buried in the sand. Long and Rough Walk.

Undaunted the pair set to work again and managed to drag the aeroplane to a slightly better spot. Once again, however, the machine refused to rise, so it was decided that Mr Nielson should remain on the ground and that Lieutenant Keith should endeavour to ge.t the aeroplane to rise with the lighter load. After being taxied for a little way the machine took off and the pilot after circling round made a landing in a small paddock among very rough country. Mr Nielson then set out to walk two and a-kalf miles to the place where the aeroplane stood. Over sandhills and tussocks with rain still pouring down he tramped until at last he reached Lieutenant Keith. Some Maoris had already arrived on horseback and were surveying the aeroplane in open-mouth-ed wonder.

Benzine Supply Replenished. The landing had been made near a dwelling and the airmen were given much-needed refreshment. They waited until nearly 11 o’clock before the weather moderated sufficiently to allow the journey to be resumed. The struggle with the elements, including a head wind, had resulted in more benzine being used than was anticipated so the machine was flown to Kawhia where a supply was secured. Here again the machine was the source of great iuterest. Prom Kawihia they reached New Plymouth in an hour and a-quarter, arriving at 1.45 p.m.