Shark-infested Waters

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6837, 19 April 1932, Page 8

Shark-infested Waters

AEROPLANE FORCED DOWN. BIRD STRIKES PROPELLER, Disabled when its propeller struck a seabird, an aeroplane fell headlong into shark-infested waters nine miles north of Crowdy Head, on tho North Coast of New South Wales on Good Friday, and was wrecked iu tho surf. The three occupants of tho machine, Messrs P. Hall (pilot), Harry Purvis (mechanic), and J. Kingsford-SmitL (nephew of Air-Commodoro Kingsford-Smith) escaped unhurt and swam 200 yards to tho beach.

When the aeroplane landed in the sea it was undamaged, but a land swell soon carried it into tho breakers, the first of which tossed tho craft so violently that the wings were broken off. Succeeding breakers completed the destruction. Tho wrecked machine later drifted ashore, but tho only parts salvaged wero the magnetos, tho sparking plugs and tho landing wheels. Soaked in sea water and silted up with sand, the valuablo engine was so badly damaged that it was deemed to bo not worthy of salvage and was left lying embedded in beach sand. A fisherman’s launch which put out from Crowdy Head to render assistance, tried to attach tho aeroplane to a dinghy by means of a lino, but the swell upset the boat and put a stop to attempts at salvage. The threo occupants of tho machine reached Sydney by train on tho following morning.

“There was a bit of a head-wind when we passed Port Stephens,” said Mr. Hall. “As we were short of petrol we flew low across tho water to avoid the wind. The machine had not a very big flying range and its petrol capacity was limited. When we were about nine miles north of Crowdy Head the propeller struck a seagull or some other seabird and the engine became absolutely useless. We were only about 100 feet up, and this altitude was insufficient to enable mo to get the machine right on to tho beach. “The aoroplano landed on tho water about 150yds. to 200yds. from the shore, and there was rather a heavy land swell running. Tho machine was intact when she alighted on tho water, Dut as soon as she drifted into tho breakers sko was smashed to pieces. I released tho strap which held me to the pilot’s scat, and tho other two men were able to extricate themselves from tho machine while it was in calm water.

“On tho way up the coast wo had seen schools of sharks swimming about. As a matter of fact, wc were skimming over sharks when tho bird struck the propeller and with these sights fresh in our minds the swim toward the snore was an unenviable one. The swim itself was nothing. It was tho dread that we might be taken by sharks that made it a nightmare. Wo were fortunate that we landed so close to the shore.”

Mr. Hall stated that he had been flying for about five years and had been pilot to the wrecked craft —DH37 — for about five months. It was owned by Mr. R. Wylie, of Kensington, was about eight years old, and was uninsured. It was to have been used at Port Macquarie for passenger flights during tho Easter holidays.