CAPTAIN BUCKLEY LEAVES SOCKBURN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 26

CAPTAIN BUCKLEY LEAVES SOCKBURN.

BAD WEATHER IN COOK STRAIT. BLENHEIM, January 11. The Sockburn authorities received instructions from Wellington to’ send a ’plane to Trentham to conduct an extensive search from that base. Captain Buckley, accompanied by Air Mechanic Smith, set out from Christchurch at 1.20 this afternoon in a D.H. 9 machine for Wellington. Unfortunately, unfavourable weather was encountered from the start with heavy rain. The machine was unable to hang to the land, and went out about Gape Campbell in an attempt to cross the strait. The visibility was extremely bad, and though the ’plane was flown very low—much of the time at an altitude of 200 ft—it became apparent that it would be foolhardy to proceed. The ’plane appeared over Blenheim just after 3 o’clock, the pilot having decided to land to await an opportunity to cross the strait, which just now is blocked to flying. The machine circled over Blenheim for some time, and then made a perfect landing in a stubble field.

In a brief chat with a reporter, Captain Buckley said that the Sockburn staff was deeply concerned about the safety of the Tasman Sea flyers. They were inclined to believe that the Aotea-roa was last in the air after the signal was picked up at 5.22 yesterday afternoon.