HOPE ABANDONED FOR MISSING ATLANTIC FLIERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18349, 29 December 1927, Page 7

HOPE ABANDONED FOR MISSING ATLANTIC FLIERS.

SEVERE STORMS ON ROUTE REPORTED

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK, December 27. Hope has been virtually abandoned for the Dawn, Mrs Grayson’s aeroplane. Every portion of the route from New York to Harbour Grace has beer, thoroughly searched. Severe storms along the route render the possibility of the aeroplane floating for more than a short time most doubtful. The dirigible Los Angeles has re turned to its hangar, ending thi search.

RADIO MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED.

ST JOHN’S (Newfoundland), Dec. 27 The agent of the Western Union Telegraph Company at Heart’s Content reports that a radio message was received on Monday, believed to be from Mrs Grayson’s aeroplane, the Dawn, asking for location. The signals were strong. Heart’s Content is on Trinity Bay, on the opposite coast of New foundland from Harbour Grace.

Three times previously Mrs Frances Grayson has started the Dawn from the coast of Maine to fly to Denmark, but each time, after about an horn’s flight, she has returned to her base, engine trouble being given as the reason. Sunday, October 23, was her third attempt, when she flew 495 miles and turned back, explaining that one oi the motors broke down. It now appears there was “mutiny” of the crew of the Dawn—the first air mutiny on record, says the Washington correspondent of the “Morning Post.” The Dawn, after heading east, was turned west without Mrs Grayson's knowledge and without her consent. Mrs Grayson, nominally in commajid of the expedition, was accompanied by Brice Goldsborough, navigator, and Wilmer Stutz, pilot. Neither of the men nor Mrs Grayson will make an explicit statement, but from the little that has been said a physical encounter in the narrow confines of the cabin of the Dawn, then 400 ft above the Atlantic, was narrowly averted between Goldsborough and Stultz. Goldsborough an 1 Mrs discovered that instead of flying toward Denmark they were on their way back to Old Orchard Beach. Maine, whence they hopped off. Mrs Grayson insisted that the original course must be resumed, but Stultz paid no heed to her commands or protests and brought the ’plane back to its starting point. Stultz explained that he turned the ’plane back when he ran into a thick, soupy fog that shut out all sight of sky or water, and his altimeter showed he was only 400 ft above the water. One of the motors was not working properly and both motors were consuming 25 per cent more fuel than was estimated, which would have left them with empty tanks in mid-ocean. There was nothing left except to turn back. Mrs Grayson’s latest attempt was made last Friday. Beyond one radio message flash ing out of the storm-wrack nothing has since been heard of the fliers.