MISHAP DURING FLIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1933, Page 7

MISHAP DURING FLIGHT

CYLINDER HEAD CRACKS

MACHINE’S FORCED LANDING.

SKTT.r, DISPLAYED BY PILOT.

A “forced landing” in the Puss Moth cabin monoplane belonging to the Auckland Aero Club was successfully carried out by Flight-Lieutenant D. M. Allan, chief instructor of the club, at a spot between Kawakawa and Ohaeawai on Saturday morning. Mr. L. W. Swan, secretary of the club, and Mrs. Swan, were passengers in the machine, which was making a day’s trip round the landing grounds in the northern district in order that advance arrangements might be completed for a Christm «> tour by four of the club machines. No damage was done to the monoplane by the involuntary landing, which was caused by the cracking of a cylinder-head, and the only result was a delay of a few hours while the necessary repairs were being effected. The monoplane left Mangere aerodrome at 6.45 a.m. on Saturday, with Flight-Lieutenant Allan at the controls, and headed for Waipu, the first stage of the tour. Alfter a short stay at Waipu, the journey was resumed shortly after 8 a.m. and a course was set for Kerikeri. When the aeroplane was about three miles from Kawakawa, thy top of one of the cylinders cracked and the engine started to vibrate violently. The break occurred at a height of about 2000 feet, and, owing to the fact that, it was necessary to reduce the revolutions of the engine by about half, the machine began to lose height very gradually. . Although the aeroplane was flying above a number of paddocks where it could have been landed. safely, FlightLieutenant Allan wished to select a place that was large enough to takeoff from again without too much difficulty. The search was continued until the aeroplane was flying at 1000 ft, and it was then decided to make a landing on a nearby hill slope, so that the aeroplane would pull up in a shorter space once it was on the ground. The landing was skilfully carried out, and the aeroplane came to rest within a safe distance of a fence. When the trouble commenced, Mrs. Swan became rather anxious and inquired from her husband if anything was wrong. In order to reassure her, Mr. Swan said that they were only trying to find out different grounds to land on and would shortly make a test of one of them to see whether it was suitable. Flight-Lieutenant Allan ■ overheard the conversation in the cabin of the machine, and entered into the scheme by whistling cheerfully to himself as if nothing were wrong. Actually, 1 it was a moment when cool judgment and a level head were essential. As soon as the aeroplane had been landed, a telephone call was put through to the hangar at Mangere, and the ground engineer, Mr. F. A. N. North, was informed of the breakage. He secured a spare cylinder-head, and with Mr. R. A. Kirkup as pilot, was flown to the scene of the landing in one of the club’s Moths, landing at 12.30 p.m. . The damaged cylinder was easily rectified, and the flight was resumed at three o’clock, tire places visited during the afternoon being Kerikeri, Kaitaia and Rawene. The party returned to Mangere at 7.15 on Saturday evening.