FORCED LANDING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 30 June 1939, Page 3

FORCED LANDING

MARLBOROUGH MILES HAWK PROPELLER BROKEN AND WING DAMAGED PILOT AND PASSENGER UNINJURED (United Presß Aasociation] AUCKLAND, 29th June. When the engine stopped at an altitude of about 1500 ft, a Miles Hawk monoplane, owned by the Marlborough Aero Club, was forced to land at Port Waikato to-day. (A brief message ap- j peared in yesterday’s issue). Neither the pilot, Mr Walter Britton. 1 flying instructor of the Marlborough 1 Aero Club, nor the passenger, Mr H. ! Hewitson, a member of the club, was i injured, but the propeller and one wing j were damaged when the machine struck a sand dune. Leaving Blenheim yesterday, the machine was flown to New Plymouth, where it stayed overnight. Shortly before 11 a.m. to-day it left for Hobsonville Air Base, the pilot following the West Coast route. Flying conditions were particularly bumpy, and, at about 12.30 p.m., when the machine was over Port Waikato, it ran into an extremely bad patch and the engine stopped. Picking what appeared to be a smooth stretch of sand, about a quarter of a mile below the v/harf at Port Waikato, Mr Britton landed the machine, but was helpless to prevent it from running into a sand ciune bordering the sea. One blade of the propeller snapped off and portion of one wing collapsed, but the fuselage remained intact. After anchoring the machine, the occupants walked to the wharf and reported the accident by telephone to the Auckland club. They were driven to Tuakau, where they stayed overnight. They will return to the machine in the morning, accompanied by a Government inspector of aircraft, who will assess the damage. The purpose of the flight to Auckland was to take delivery of a new Tiger Moth, recently assembled at Hobsonville for the Marlborough club. It was Mr Britton’s intention to fly this machine back to Blenheim, while Mr Hewitson piloted the Miles Hawk. Though it may now be delayed for a day or so, the original arrangement will be followed, and Mr Britton will take the Tiger Moth south.