MYSTERY OF THE AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1928, Page 9

MYSTERY OF THE AIR

HINCHCLIFFE NOT FOUND MISS MACKAY WAS IN 'PLANE MACHINE NOT YET SIGHTED LITTLE HOPE FOR ARRIVAL By Telegraph—Press Area.—Copyright. Received March 15, 8.5 p.m. A. and N.Z. London, March 14. Sinclair has arrived at Mrs. Hinchcliffe’s house, thus finally disposing of th© rumour that there were three persons in the aeroplane. He says it was only two hours before the departure of the "Endeavour” that Miss Mackay decided to fly with Hinchcliffe. "My job had been superintending the equipment an<J preparation of the machine in which I originally thought I should be flying,” he said in an interview. “I have been working for a fortnight to get ready and have not slept during the last four or five nights. "The rest of the party arrived on Monday. It was so busy getting the stuff aboard that I did not notice the repeated talks between Miss Mackay and Hinchcliffe. I only know that suddenly, at 2 o’clock on Tuesday morning, I was told I was not to fly. We had been up all night long making prepara tions. We went to the aerodrome in Miss Mackay’s ear. There everything was in readiness. I shook hands with them and the next thing I remember was waving good-bye to the "Endeavour,” which had started.

"Now I am waiting anxiously, but lam full of hope. Hinchcliffe mentioned many times that he would, if possible, push on to Philadelphia. I think it likely the “Endeavour” slipped through the watchers at Newfoundland in a slight fog. They have from 45 to 50 hours’ petrol, so ean still keep going. We found it impossible to make any calculations as to th© time the trip would take. That depends on the strength and variation of the wind. Hinchcliffe was confident he would be able to pick out a landing place at Saint Johns by the lights of the town. If that were impossible he would push further on. “There was no night on Monday for our party. W’e stayed up talking and preparing rations until the decision was come to suddenly at 2 o’clock. That is the whole story.” MANY RUMOURS IN U.S.A. ’PLANE SEEN IN NEW BRUNSWICK. AUTHORITIES ABANDON ALL HOPE. . Received March 15, 11.25 p.m. A. and N.Z. Saint John, March 15. A New Brunswick newspaper correspondent wires from Moncton that th© crew of a Canadian National Railway freight train early on Thursday morning distinctly saw an aeroplane flying low from the coast at Anagance, near Moncton. A red and whit© light was visible. Presumably it was Hinchcliffe’s craft. Many reports were received at New York late ou Wednesday night from the coast districts of hearing an aeroplane, believed to be heading for Philadelphia. One report stated that the ’plane landed at Menlo Park, New Jersey. It was investigated by the State police, but was found to be untrue.

With an apparently creditable report from London that Hinchcliffe carried petrol sufficient for a 50-hour flight, there was a slight hope that he may arrive at New York on Wednesday night. Towns along the coast reported hearing, but not seeing, a ’plane moving towards New York.

Th© Boston airport lighted flares when a ’plane was -heard. It did not alight there, however. No other news of the flier has been received. Unless he appears immediately there is no hop© for his safety. Marin© and other authorities abandoned hop© at noon yesterday that the flight of Hinchcliffe could succeed. The ’plan© had then been 33J hours since leaving Cranwell and should have flown far beyond Newfoundland, even against unfavourable winds.

Two uneredited reports that the ’plane was scon in this vicinity have been disregarded, since the weather is clear and it would have been plainly seen by the sealing fleet. 150 miles east and north-east of St. John, but the fleet reports nothing. Weather conditions are good along the whole coast, with th© exception of heavy fogs on the main coast on Tuesday.” Members of the Stinson Corporation, who built the ’plane, stated it had been sold to Hinchcliffe with the understanding that it was to be used on a flight to India, not to America, for which flight its normal petrol capacity was hardly sufficient.