PROPELLER DROPS OFF

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19774, 16 April 1934, Page 8

PROPELLER DROPS OFF

AEROPLANE LANDS IN FIELD

PILOT AND PASSENGER UNHURT By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, April 14. When its propeller dropped off *n mid air the West Coast Airways Aeroplane, flown by A. H. Nancekivell, made a forced landing in a field at Marshland at 4.25 this afternoon. Neither the passenger in the aeroplane, Mr A. J. McDowall, secretary to the Grey Power Board, nor the pilot was hurt, and, apart from the loss of the propeller, the machine was undamaged. Nancekivell made a splendid landing in difficult conditions. The machine stopped just short of a fence. In an interview Nancekivell said that he was flying from Hokitika to Christchurch by way of Arthur’s Pass. He was unable to get through there, ro v. ;:it back to Greymouth, filled up with petrol and set out again to try the Lewis Pass route. After crossing the mountains safely he met no troubde until nearing Christchurch, when the propeller broke without warning. “The paddock in which we landed was the only one for some distance around,” he said, “and it was certainly the high nor’-wester that ‘saved our bacon.’ We were at 2000 feet when the mishap occurred, and it was this that gave me the opportunity of gliding to a safe landing.” One of the bolts on the propeller boss was snapped completely off, and the other two were bent. The machine was a Spartan three-seater, used by the company for the carriage of passengers.