PILOT’S ERROR OF JUDGMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1931, Page 5

PILOT’S ERROR OF JUDGMENT

INQUIRY, INTO STRATFORD CRASH. ADDITIONS TO REGULATIONS. “The error of judgment in landing does not in our opinion call for censure as the pilot, although unsuccessful, did his best to land safely without damage to the machine,” was the substance of a report by the special committee of the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club which inquired into the circumstances surrounding the forced landing and damage to one of the federation planes at Stratford on September 13. The federation council adopted the finding of the committee at its Hawera meeting last night, at the same time stressing the necessity for pupil pilots to ascertain the weather conditions en route and, if doubtful, to turn back to the place of departure. For the prevention of similar mishaps certain recommendations were adopted. In order that the events leading up to the forced landing could be understood, the report summarised the evidence. “The pilot arrived at Hawera at 11.15 a.m.,” stated the report, “after a trip from Wanganui. He telephoned New Plymouth and was informed that flying conditions there were reasonable but that it was misty towards Stratford and that he should make certain of the conditions before leaving Hawera. The pilot did not telephone for a 1. . report but left for New Plymouth at I p.m. In the meantime there had been no material change in the weather at New Plymouth. “After leaving Hawera the pilot flew at heights of from 700 ft down to 200 ft as he was encountering mist which gradually came lower. Beyond Stratford conditions were worse and he had to come down to 150 ft. At Tariki it appeared to be lower still and the pilot endeavoured to climb up through it, but he got into a spin from which he only recovered at a few feet from the ground. He then returned to Stratford and looked for a suitable field to land in, the mist still being very low. He chose a suitable field but on the leeward side were a number of trees and he had to sideslip after passing over these to get into the field. In the committee’s opinion the damage to the machine was occasioned by over-correcting the side-slip just before touching the ground. “The circumstances leading up to the landing, however, show that the accident could have been avoided. Seeing that

the mist ahead was becoming lower, the pilot should have returned to Hawera and not continued even as far as Stratford.”

The council decided -that A license pilots should be required to gain the approval of the instructor before being permitted to undertake cross-country flights. This approval would not be given until they had received training in the difficulties that might be experienced. Wherever possible practical demonstrations would be given by the instructor in flights between aerodromes. The inquiry committee emphasised the necessity of attention by pupil pilots to the obtaining of a weather report before departure and mentioned the need to play safe in the air by not attempting to go through' when clouds or mist were near the ground. There was no dis--credit in turning back. Attempting to fly blind through clouds when they were close to the ground was dangerous and few experienced pilots could ,do so without proper instruments.