FORCED LANDING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 1 May 1937, Page 10

FORCED LANDING

ENGINE CUTS OUT WHEN ABOUT TO CROSS STRAIT 'PLANE AT OCEAN BAY [By Telegraph—Ureas Association] BLENHEIM, This Day. Soon after taking oil from Blenheim aerodrome on a fight to Maslerlon yesterday alternoon, Mr K. Johnston, pilot instructor of the Wairampa Aero Club, made a forced landing at Ocean Bay near Fort Underwood, the engine of his machine, an Avro Avian, ZK-ADQ, cutting out owing to magneto trouble.

The pilot faced the position of making a hurried selection of a landing ground in hilly country, and succeeded in making an excellent landing on a rough sloping paddock without injury to himself and only slight damage to the ’plane. Mr Johnston was making a return flight to Masterton from Christchurch, where he had been attending a "blind flying” course, and called at. the Blendrome at 3.20 p.m., taking oil fifteen minutes later. He folio. the usual cross-straight course of going some miles up the coast before turning to fly ever the sea, and was just preparing to gain height tor this stage of the journey when his engine cut out. With the machine losing height rapidly, he was forced to make the best landing lie could under the conditions, and the most likely-looking ground from the air appeared to be a cleared paddock which, on closer inspection, proved to be sloping and difficult country. The pilot succeeded in bringing the machine down to a safe landing, however, with only slight crumpling of the undercarriage. Mr Johnston spent the night at Ocean Bay and came on to Blenheim this morning. What steps will be taken to remove the ’plane are yet uncertain, but the probability is that sea transport will have to be used.

Mr Johnston said that only slight repairs would be necesasry to put the 'plane in flying order, but it was impossible to take off from Ocean Bay.