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Southland Times, Issue 25343, 23 July 1935, Page 7

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MISSING AVIATOR CRASH IN RANGES FEARED SIX PLANES IN SEARCH (Per United Press Association.) Hastings, July 22. The efforts of six searching planes and parties on foot have failed to find any sign of the missing airman Hamish Armstrong, of Akitio. All the planes returned to Hastings to-night, having searched all the probable places in which a crash might have occurred, the area of their operations having extended from Dannevirke in the south and Kurapapanga in the north on both sides of the Ruahine Ranges, and also the coast from Akitio to Cape Kidnappers. Visibility was quite good except north of Hastings to Kurapapanga. Those in the Ongaonga district who . heard the plane yesterday morning said the engine was running smoothly. Evidently the pilot, having lost his direction in the fog, turned towards _ the Ruahine Range where, it is feared, he crashed. The country is very rough and difficult of access. There are a few flat areas, however, on which a plane could be brought down by a skilled pilot. In such event the pilot would be faced with considerable difficulty in finding his way back to civilization. To-day search parties set out from the Ongaonga sawmill, near where the plane was last heard, in order to conduct a search, while since early morning planes have been operating. Three planes from the Hawkes Bay and East Coast Aero Club, one from Palmerston North and two from the WairarapaRuahine Club have been engaged all day to-day, and from daylight tomorrow morning three others, one from Wellington, one from Palmerston North and East Coast Airways, a Dragon de Havilland. will continue the efforts. One of the search parties on foot this afternoon at 4 o’clock saw smoke two miles away over rough country, seven miles from Ashley Clinton. Two men have stayed the night in the open, intending to leave at daylight to investigate further, being'augmented during the night by other men and provisions.