COAST PLANE TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25135, 28 January 1943, Page 6

COAST PLANE TRAGEDY

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY (P.A.) HOKITIKA, Jan. 27. The Court of Inquiry into the plane tragedy off Westport was continued yesterday afternoon, when the evidence of the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Baines, Captain Mercer, and the ground engineer, Darcy Orville Oppenshaw, was taken. All the evidence tended to show that the machine was in good order when it left on the journey. This morning Captain Mercer, who was recalled, gave particulars of the endeavours being made to search for the lost plane and the reward offered for the finding of the lost propellor. Squadron Leader Hewitt, with considerable experience in flying machines of the type lost, stated that in unfavourable weather loss of height could not be regained with only one engine operating. With the hatch open there would be a certain amount of drag. Flight Lieutenant Buckeridge stated that it was not compulsory to carry a lifebelt on a flight of not more than 10 miles to sea. This concluded the evidence. The chairman intimated that as every possible endeavour was being made to salvage the plane the inquiry would be adjourned for 14 days to Wellington.

Every effort possible has been made (says the Christchurch Press) by Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., to expedite the recovery of the plane. The inability of the company to secure the services of a diver and sounding equipment has retarded its efforts, and it is now possible that trawling will be commenced within the week. It was intended to start trawling last week, but unfavourable weather set in and delayed the work. Instead of an ordinary trawl net, a sturdy wire will comprise the equipment which will act in a similar way to a dragline. A trawler from Greymouth has been engaged, and it will systematically trawl in the region where the aeroplane sank. It is thought that there is little chance of the aeroplane shifting to any appreciable extent from the spot where it finished up on the sea bed, as there have been no exceptionally havy seas.