Plane Disappears In Fog; Believed To Have Crashed At Sea

Northern Advocate, 24 March 1937, Page 8

Plane Disappears In Fog; Believed To Have Crashed At Sea

I Per Press Association. — Copyright .] _ WELLINGTON, This Day. JpUNNING into fog over Cook Strait yesterday when flying from Nelson to Wellington, a Western Federated Aero Club Moth aeroplane returning from the South Island pageant at Hokitika, disappeared with its pilot and a passenger, the only clue to their fate being the finding late this afternoon of three pieces of wreckage in the sea near Makara. Those missing arc:— Mr Arthur Smith, aged V 24, of Pungarehu, Cape Egmont, the pilot; son of Mr and Mrs Percy Smith, of "Pungarehu. James Hamill, a youth, son of Mr and Mrs A. Hamill, cf Pungarehu. Aeroplanes, launches, and land parties co-operated in an extensive search until nightfall.

Floating Wreckage Found,

Floating wreckage was found by Mr D Haig and Mr E. McKenzie, employees at Te Kamaru station, Makara, on the beach about six miles from Makara, and. from the description given by Mr A. Sutherland, the manager of the station, the pieces are considered to be almost beyond doubt parts of the missing aeroplane, which is now thought to have crashed in the sea near Makara.

About 6 p.m. Messrs Haig and McKenzie found three pieces of wood, shaped and painted silver, floating close to the shore, and a fourth and large piece was seen about a quarter of a mile from the shore. About half a mile further along the coast Mr A. Sutherland reported a find which is considered to be one of the inter-plane struts.

Mounted police will leave Wellington at daybreak tomorrow to search the beach for further signs of the missing machine or its occupants, and an aeroplane control of the sea thereabouts will be made from Rongotai. With other club machines which had been competing at the, pageant, Mr Smith’s aeroplane left Nelson at about 9.30 a.m. All the machines flew to near Cape Terawhiti, some then turning to Wellington others towards | Wanganui. Mr Smith intended to fly to Wanganui, there taking on extra petrol to proceed to New Plymouth. Mr G. Plumtree, another member of the Western Federated Club, was flying another Moth. Struck Bank of Fog. With Mr Plumtree leading, the two machines flew up the coast until a thick bank of low fog was encountered. The pilots attempted to fly under the fog and around the coast, but the fog reached almost to the water. Mr Plumtree, deciding that it would be risky to proceed with such poor visibility, entailing blind flying if the fog bank proved wide, turned out to sea, expecting the other machine to follow the same course. He cruised about for a quarter of an hour without seeing a sign of the companion aeroplane, and then returned to Wellington. He reported having lost contact with the other machine, and arrangements for a' search were immediately made by Wing-Commander T. M. Wilkes, Director of Aviation. All available aeroplanes were used for aerial searching. Squadron-Leader G. L. Stedman flew' in a Moth with Mr Plumtree as observer to the locality where Mr Plumtree saw the last of the machine carrying Messrs Smith and Hamill. Forced Almost On To Water. The searchers were forced almost on to the water through the fog being “right down,” and for a time they had to fly blind. The Union Airways air liner on the regular run encountered thick low fog extending well out to sea, and running up the coast from Cape Terawhiti to Mana Island. The air liner cruised in the locality for some time, but saw no signs of the aeroplane. Makara settlers had combined in a search covering the beach in sections