RAN OUT OF PETROL
LANDED IN THE DARK. PILOT’S SKILFUL FEAT. DANGER OF PLAN REALISED. (per p,-,. ss Association.—Copyright A CHRISTCHURCH, Tills Day. Will In accompanying Min Son Minni Cross from Motuuka to Christchurch last evening, a Rotorua Airways Puss Moth aeroplane ran out of petrol and made a forced landing in a paddock at Fearnside, near Rangiora. The undercarriage was considerably damaged and the propeller was broken. The pilot wos Squadron-Leader A. J. Butler, avlio had as a passenger Mr T. Sargeant. Neither was hurt. The landing was skilfully made in complete darkness, the pilot being able to distinguish only hedges. He circled the field twice before coming down.
Interviewed later, he said: “On reaching Rangiora I saw the lights of Christchurch some 20 miles away. I was doubtful whether I could make Christchurch, as it was dark, and I could not see the benzine gauges, which are situated on the wings, I know we were running low, and I was not certain whether the benzine would last. Rather than take the risk of making a forced descent through a shortage of benzine, T decided to risk a landing in the darkness outside Rangiora. “I cruised round down low to pick up a suitable paddock in which to land/’ the pilot continued, '‘and after making a circuit I found that when near the ground I could not distinguish the paddock I had chosen, I went round again, and having located it a second time I made a wider circuit and came down. As it was so dark I had decided to land away from the village and avoid the high tension wires. We glided just over a hedge and hit the ground with the undercarriage. The machine stopped dead, the undercarriage being pushed back and the propeller broken. The landing was made about 50 yards from the hedge. On alighting we found that wo were in a grass paddock and about half a mile from a house. A man arrived on the scone soon after wo landed and took us to the house.” The machine was brought to Wigram today, and repairs will be completed within three days.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19340320.2.74
Bibliographic details
Northern Advocate, 20 March 1934, Page 8
Word Count
359RAN OUT OF PETROL Northern Advocate, 20 March 1934, Page 8
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