LOSS OF AIR CLIPPER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23705, 12 January 1939, Page 5

LOSS OF AIR CLIPPER

ANNIVERSARY TO-DAY PACIFIC OCEAN TRAGEDY On her first commercial flight from Honolulu to New Zealand, Pan-American Airways' Samoan Clipper crashed after leaving Pago Pago for Auckland a year ago today. The master, Captain Edwin C. Musick, and his crew of six were all killed. After two survey flights to New Zealand, the Clipper left Auckland on her initial northbound commercial flight on January 2 last year. Less than a week after reaching Honolulu she left again for Auckland, carrying a quantity of express freight. She left Pago Pago at 5.30 a.m. on January 12, and 38 minutes later Captain Musick reported that one of the motors had developed an oil leak, and he was returning to Pago Pa.go. The last message from the Clipper was at 8.27 a.m., when Captain Musick reported that he was dumping excess fuel prior to landing at Pago Pago. Following a search, the* crew of the United States mine-sweepr Avocet's launch discovered fragments of wreckage from the Clipper 14 miles north-west of Pago Pago. A United States Air Commerce Bureau investigating board found that the probable cause of the crash was fire and explosion occurring during the dumping of fuel, but stated that it was unable to determine what caused the fuel to ignite. As a memorial to Captain Musick and his companions, the Government has decided to erect a radio beacon at St. Heliers for the direction of aircraft arriving at Auckland. In addition, a fund raised by public subscription is being devoted to the establishment of a Musick memorial trophy for annual award for the most valuable contribution towards the safety of life in the air and the most efficient working of aircraft, with special regard to transoceanic flying. In San Francisco, too. a claque has been placed in the City Hall to commemorate the seven men who Derished in the Clipper. Meanwhile, Pan-American Airways has been proceeding with its Dlans to resume the service with the giant new Boeing Clippers, but no date for the recommencement of the flights has been announced.