Samoan Clipper Posted Missing

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 10, 13 January 1938, Page 7

Samoan Clipper Posted Missing

Oil Leak Reported and then Silence Native Saw Smoke Issuing From Machine Later Observed on Sea West of Apia The Dominion was electrified yesterday afternoon by a series of cabled messages announcing the disappearance of the Pan-American Airways Samoan Clipper on the last stage of its initial commercial flight from Honolulu to Auckland. The machine left Pago Pago according to schedule, and then, after a radio stating that an oil leak had occurred, a baffling silence ensued which gave rise to profound anxiety for the craft and those aboard. Following weary hours of waiting, news was flashed that the machine had been sighted afloat 74 miles west of Apia.

PLANE SEARCHES

TENSE OCEAN DRAMA

Last Message at 8.37 a.m. CREW OF SEVEN ABOARD United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—CopyrUtht Received Wednesday, 6.30 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 11. me Pan-American Airways fly-ing-boat Samoan Clipper ia missing. A cable from Pago rago quoted a native as seeing the Clipper flying off the western end of Tutuila in a quantity of smoke. A search was started immediately. The Avocat, stationed at the United States Naval Station at Samoa, sent out a ’plane to search the route which it is believed Captain Musick followed. Honolulu’s wireless station, KGMB. has offered facilities. A San Francisco message says the Pan-American Airways announced that the Samoan Clipper bound for New Zealand is missing after radioing it was turning back due to an oil leak. There is a crew of seven aboard, including Captain Musick. mere are no passengers. The last radio contact was at 8.37 a.m. Pan-American officials at New York express the opinion that it is possible Captain Musick, after reporting the leak, landed in the water on the leeward of some South Pacific island. Experts believe that mountain ranges might be interfering with reception from the 'plane’s radio and hope that night will bring more favourable radio conditions. No significance is attached to a native seeing smoke. It is said Captain Musick was probably dumping petrol preparatory to attempting a landing and the native mistook the spraying liquid for smoke. It waa recalled that similar dumping of petrol before landing at Pearl Harbour caused many to believe another Pan-American 'plane was on fire. Washington naval officials described the searching facilities in the vicinity of Pago Pago as “very poor." The naval base is equipped with a single utility seaplane, a minesweeper and an old coal-burning tender, which participated in the Earhart search. Honolulu is the nearest fully-equipped station, but it is impossible to conduct an air search from Honolulu due to the distance. Sighted 74 Miles From Apia 18 MINUTES AFTER SIGNAL Received Wednesday, 8.45 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 12. The Clipper was sighted in the ocean 74 miles due west of Apia, Samoa, at 8.55 a.m., *lB minutes after the final signal.

Anxiety for Clipper Southward-bound LITTLE ADVICE IN AUCKLAND Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. An ocean flight drama was staged in mid-Pacific to-day when the Samoan Clipper of Pan-American Airways bound from Honolulu to Auckland in the first southward flight of the new commercial air service was reported missing. However, after anxious hours the flying-boat was sighted afloat on the ocean 74 miles due west of Apia. The Clipper took off from Pago Pago harbour, American Samoa, at 4.32 o’clock this morning (New Zealand time) on the final stage of her southward flight, and she was expected to arrive at Auckland late this afternoon. During the morning word was received at Auckland that the flying-boat had turned back for Pago Pago, owing to the fact that an oil leak had developed, but after that there were several hours of disturbing silence. Officials of Pan-American Airways in Auckland were standing by throughout the day, but they received little of wireless advice. The last radio message from the Clipper was received approximately five hours after her departure, when it was announced that she was being headed back for Pago Pago, and during the afternoon the San Francisco office of the company announced that the flying-boat was missing. However, Pan-American officials were reasonably confident that the Clipper had made a safe landing either in the Tongan group or in western Samoa. Captain Edwin Musick, who nas I made both the previous trips to Auckland as Master of the Clipper, is again in command, and he has with him a crew of six. Neither passengers nor mails are being carried on the sou inward flight, but there is a quantity of express freight on board. The absence of wireless messages from the flyingboat is explained by the fact, that the radio equipment does not operate satisfactorily over long distances unless the machine is in flight. CAPTAIN BURGESS OFFERS TO ASSIST Received Wednesday, 11.5 p.m. SYDNEY, Jan. 12. Tho Sun, featuring the overdue Samoan Clipper, published an interview with Captain Burgess, of Centaurus, who was surprised by- the news. He expressed his willingness to help in a. search for the Clipper, adding: “I think the Clipper is quite all right. Captain Musick is one of .the best pilots in the American service."

Still Missing

Reported Sighting Incorrect Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Midnight. News that the report that the Clipper had been sighted was incorrect caused great disappointment in Auckland. Great achievements in the sphere of aviation stand to the credit of Captain Edwin Musick, who is again commanding the Samoan Clipper. He has spent over 12,000 hours in the air and has a proud record of never having had a serious accident nor having lost a single passenger in more than 1,000,000 miles of flying. Captain Musick commanded the Clipper on her pioneer survey Bight to New Zealand last March and he was again in command on the second survey about a fortnight ago when the return Bight to Honolulu marked the inauguration of the commercial service. He is a man quiet in speech and in manner, and he has already made many friends in Auckland. The present round trip is expected to be Captain Musick’s last on the New Zealand service. For some time on the last trip he had with him Captain Culbertson, and on the present trip he is accompanied by Captain Sellers. These two pilots are expected to command the Samoan Clipper on the alternate flights in the future. Captain Sellers, who has made his home at .Manila, for the last few years has had extensive experience on the Pan-American service to the Orient.

Worst Feared !

May Hare Been Explosion FRUITLESS SEARCH BY NAVY PLANE United Pres. Association—By Else trie Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 11.30 p.m. PAGO PAGO, Jan. 12. It is believed the Clipper was forced down about thirty miles from Tutuila Island, the PanAmerican air base. There are fears that if the petrol was dumped when the plane attempted an emergency landing an explosion might have occurred. A plane from the United States minsweeper Avocet searched fruitlessly for several hours along the route which the Clipper would have taken west of Pago Pago. The Avocet will continue the search until darkness. It is believed the Clipper was to the north side of Tutuila Island when she sent her last message. Aviation officials believe the mishap was so sudden that the plane’a radio operator did not have time to transmit a message. It is also believed to be unlikely that the plane landed on land or near the shore because natives would have reported it. Tutila Island is 17 miles long and five wide. The western end is the lowestlying and is closely cultivated. There are mountains 1500 feet hign on the island. The report of the sighting of the Clipper was traced to a private radio transmitter, who had only seen the plane unloading petrol in teh harbour at Apia. It is learned that there were two radio sets in the plane, so it is significant that nothing is being sent even from the emergency set which Captain Musick, even if he naci landed saieiy, would nave utilised immediately.

Mr Gaily Confident Of Boat’s Safety

EXPERIENCED CREW AUCKLAND, Last Night. The firm belief that the Samoan Clipper had landed somewhere in the Western Samoan or Tongan groups was expressed by Mr. Harold Gatty, special representative of Pan-American Airways in New Zealand and Australia, tonight. He revealed the reassuring news that on his first northward flight last year Captain Musick had made a point of acquainting himself with emergency landing places in convenient bays in the vicinity and had detailed charts of the area. Confidence in the organisation for safety at all costs that is the paramount principle of Pan-American Airways, and also in the ability of the crew of the Clipper and in the ship herself, caused Mr. Gatty not to view with alarm, the unexpected interruption in the flight. Ho said that contributing factors to this attitude were the fact that the ship was seaworthy, the crew highly experienced, the weather fine and the organisation specially designed in details to meet precisely such an emergency as the present one—an unexpected mechanical defect that could oeourr on any airline. While disappointed that the machine had not maintained schedule, Mr. Gatty said delays were not unexpected in the aviation business, specially when they arose from precautions taken in the interests of safety. The present was such an instance.

Judging by the few reports received, the machine would not have flown mote than about 250 miles from Pago Pago when she turned back, said Mr. Gatty. It is most likely that as soon as the oil leak was discovered Captain Musick dumped the petrol in the wingtanks, conserving the supply in the extra tanks in the hull, sent out his position by radio to Pago Pago and put the ship down.

The Pan-American meteorologist in Auckland, Air. E. B. Buxton, prepared to-day a forecast for the area of GOO miles in the vicinity of Pago Pago, and it showed no disturbances either in the vicinity or approaching it. It can thus be assumed that the Clipper, whereever she was when the landing became necessary, would come down on comparatively smooth water. Before the machine alighted on the surface the trailing antenna for the radio would have been wound in, continued Air. Gatty, leaving only a small fixed aerial on the machine for transmitting and receiving messages. The islands in the Western Samoan and the Tongan groups, or many of them, are extremely mountainous, and it is quite probable that, if the machine landed in a bay under the lee of one of these islands, her radio would not be heard at any great distance. No alarm was occasioned at our Auckland radio station as the result of not being able to communicate with our station at Pago Pago to-day. No doubt, the operators at Pago Pago were working at high pressure and had no time to work Auckland, which was after all not vital. Even if the machine had been in severe danger nothing could be done about it in Auckland, and the staff here has been in the pOsitioi of mere lookers-on. Late News on Page 2