’PLANE IN PERIL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18590, 28 December 1934, Page 11

’PLANE IN PERIL

GLIDED TO SAFETY

FOUR PERSONS ABOARD

SYDNEY, Dec. '3O,

Three thousand feet above the harbor with a useless engine and tho lives of three passengers in his hands, Mr. Jack Chapman, pilot of the Northern Airliners Limited’s DHSO Codette, to-day, had to make a quick, decision. He turned ;the plane, glided four miles, and landed skilfully on Manly golf links. In coining down, Mr. Chapman averted a smash by tho narrowest margin, the tail-skid being shattered as it ,struck the bank of a creek.

Mr. Chapman's passengers i.r.d man anxious moments, the greatest shock coming as the tail hit the creek bank; but all escaped injury. The .passengers were: —Mr. J. P• Trim, licensee of the Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle ; Mr. Julius, a Sydney resident, who went to Newcastle cm Saturday; tiio Rev. Bro. Daniel, ot Mavist Brothers’ School, Hamilton, who was flying down to spend his vacation. The trip from Newcastle was uneventful until the Codette was approaching the harbor bridge, when Mr. Chapman noticed the engine was over-heated, and showing signs of seizing. A water-gland had become damaged, allowing the water to escape, with the result that the engine became very hot-

AVOIDING RISKS

Mr. Chapman quickly turned off the engine. Ho could see. that it was useless trying to land in the Domain, because of tho number of wires and trees. Ho said Liter that, as his motto was safety first, he preferred not to risk making an effort to reach Mascot, in view of a possibility of being forced down in the city. He turned without the aid of his engine. Then commenced the long glide to Manly, where he know he could land with reasonable safety.

Ho lost, height all the way, gliding into a faint, breeze from the north. His passengers I ohaved well. Over the golf Jinks, Mr. Chapman found that, he had just enough height to land and lie “brought, her down.”

The. Codette just, cleared a creek which passes through the links, hut tho tail-skid crashed into one of the banks and was smashed: off.

Slight damage was done to the fairway, but the plane was otherwise un-j damaged. The passengers were taken to the city ii a taxi-cab.

Told of Mr. Chapman’s feat, Civil Aviation Department’s officials said ho had acted wisely. “It, was a fair effort for a young pilot,” one officer sain. “He has been doing some good flying lately.” Mechanics were sent from Sydney to repair the damage.