Plane Wrecked

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 985, 30 May 1930, Page 11

Plane Wrecked

FLIER’S MISHAP AT BRISBANE

Machine Turns Somersault GIRL PILOT THROWN OUT UNINJURED United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright a Received 12.50 p.m. BRISBANE, Today. MISS AMY JOHNSON, the English girl flier, who is on her way to Sydney after flying from England to Darwin, met with a mishap yesterday afternoon as she landed after her 440-mile hop front Charleville to Brisbane. Her plane was badly damaged, but she herself was unhurt. Miss Johnson is receiving an ovation everywhere.

Later reports reveal that the crash was attended by more serious possibilities than the first news indicated. It appears her plane struck a barbed wire fence, and the machine turned over, after knocking down a post. She was travelling at about 10 miles an hour, -when she hit a fence two posts of which caught in the j wings. I The plane -went through for about j five yards, stood on its nose and finj ished upside down. j When several men arrived Miss I Johnson w-as lying on the ground. | “The petrol is running out,” she | said. “Let me turn it off. I don’t ’ want the machine to catch fire.” The accident occurred when the girl : flier w-as landing near the Eagle Farm airdrome, outside Brisbane, at 2.1 S p.m. She attempted to land in a cross wind, and. instead of reaching the airdrome, alighted in a field of millet. Both wings of the airplane were crumpled up and the propeller was | broken, but the cockpit and under- ; carriage were not damaged. ; Miss Johnson was not hurt, but was j excited. She was immediately surj rounded by airdrome officials, some of whom drove her in a motor-car to the hangar amid prolonged cheers. LADEN WITH FLOWERS The crowd gathered to welcome Miss Johnson was equally as large as that which greeted Mr. Bert Hinkler when he arrived at Brisbane, after his memorable flight from England. It is estimated that 200,000 people lined the route from the airdrome to the city. Miss Johnson was driven Through this dense, cheering crowd by a girl motorist to the City Hall, where the Lord Mayor and other prominent people heartily greeted her and very soon her arms were laden with flowers. The Governor of Queensland, Sir John Goodwin, congratulated Miss Johnson on her escape from injury in her mishap. The girl replied: "Oh, I am all right, but my poor plane is wrecked.” A bystander assured Miss Johnson that her machine would quickly be repaired. Receptions were accorded to the aviatrix this afternoon and this evening. PRESENT OF »ICO. The girl flier had descended at Toowoomba on the way to Brisbane. She -was met there by 5,000 people, who received her tumultuously. She was presented with a £IOO Australian banknote and several bouquets. An examination of Miss Johnson’s airplane by officials of the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service revealed the fact that the damage is fairly serious, but the engine and fuselage are intact. A staff of workmen immediately set about repairing the machine to enable Miss Johnson to continue her flight to Sydney, failing which another airplane will be placed at her disposal. Miss Johnson is due at Sydney on Wednesday.

PARENTS UPSET RELIEF AT GIRL’S SAFETY LONDON, Thursday. There w-as consternation and dismay in Miss Amy Johnson’s home when her family was informed of her accident at Brisbane, but emotional relief followed when it was known that she was not hurt. Mr. Johnson exclaimed: “Thank

God she is safe.” The family's anxiety was only completely dispelled, however, by a message from Miss Johnson. The Hull correspondent of the “Daily Mail" says Miss Amy Johnson’s parents cabled to her at Singapore asking her to meet them in San Francisco, after her flight. They and their daughter. Mollie, are to sail by the Carmania for America on June 7. to attend a Rotary Conference. Mrs. Johnson said that if Amy would like to see America they would await her there. Nobody in London is more interested in the flight than Mr. Berg, who prepared the maps Miss Johnson is using. His firm, which supplied the maps used by Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, Sir Alan Cobham. FlyingOfficers H. L. Piper and C. E. Kay, and Captain Lancaster, prominently displays in its windows a progress map of Miss Johxlson’s journey. MAPS USED EN ROUTE Mr. Berg has not been in an airplane, and he has not visited the East, yet he knows every detail of the air pioneers’ routes. He explained that it was not necessary for the flier to read the names of places over which she was passing, but important main features, such as roads and railways, were easily identifiable. Airdromes and landing-grounds were clearly marked, and also areas over which flight is not permitted. Separate section maps, pieced together, form a compact roller map. set in a metal frame. A twist of a screw brings into view the part of the map required, with a line of the route well in the centre. Miss Johnson did not receive her maps until the Saturday before her departure, leaving only Sunday to study them.

“QUEEN OF THE AIR” RECEPTION HEARD BY RADIO GIFTS FROM WOMEN Conditions for the reception by wireless from 4QG Brisbane were not favourable last evening, but nevertheless Auckland listeners gained a good idea of the warm welcome given by the National Council of Women. Queensland, to Miss Amy Johnson in the City Hall, Brisbane. Miss Johnson was late in arriving at the function, but the waiting time was occupied by the singing of songs, organ recitals and community singing. A woman announcer enlivened the proceedings with a vivid description of what was happening at the hall. She said she saw many men smile when they heard the women singing “Keep the home fires burning till the boys come home.” About 10.45 (New Zealand time), a loud murmuring was heard which grew to tumultuous cheering as Lady Goodwin, wife of the Governor of Queensland, led Miss Johnson to the platform. When the applause died down. Lady Goodwin, on behalf of the Victorian League, made a brief speech and made a presentation to Miss Johnson. Further speeches and presentations were made by Varsity graduates, the Plunket Association, a number of sports associations. Girl Guides and the National Council of Women. A nice touch was lent to one speech, by Miss Johnson being referred to as “Queen of the Air.” After several women had spoken and presented gifts, a stirring recitation commencing “O. gallant English girl,” was given, and “She’s a jollygood fellow” was sung with wonderful enthusiasm. Evidently feeling great emotion and almost overcome by the. warmth of her reception, Miss Johnson said “I can’t say any more than thank you, I hank you, thank you. I had no idea Australia would open its arms to me like this. No one could have done more for me. Thank you awfully, awfully much. “I thank you for your tributes and wish the wonderful women of Australia every luck.” The broadcast from Brisbane was picked up and rebroadcast by Auckland and Christchurch, but owing to extremely bad conditions oniy parts of the address could be heard. 2LO Melbourne, 3AR Melbourne, SCL Adelaide and 2BL Sydney also broadcast the proceedings, but best reception was received here direct from Brisbane.

BROADCAST CLEAR Received 1 p.m. LONDON, Thurs. Miss Johnson’s typically English voice was plainly heard in England from Brisbane. The British Broadcasting Corporation relayed her address.