GIANT AEROPLANE NEARLY CRASHES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 188, 10 August 1931, Page 8

GIANT AEROPLANE NEARLY CRASHES.

LANDS SAFELY WITH THREE ENGINES STOPPED United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. RUGBY, August 8. Imperial Airway’s’s giant passenger aeroplane, Hannibal, which carried forty passengers, made a forced landing near Tonbridge, while on its way to Paris. A passenger said that one of the propellers broke in mid-air, damaging two of the others. With only one engine running the machine was skilfully manoeuvred by the pilot through the mist and rain. The pilot missed a farm house, knocked over a telegraph pole, and landed perfectly in a field. The eighteen passengers, who were not hurt, took a relief machine at Lympne for Paris. Hannibal, which is the largest commercial aeroplane in the world, narrowly escaped an appalling disaster. The passengers, who included Sir Henry Birkin, the famous racing motorist, paid a tribute to the pilot, Captain F. Dismore, who was responsible for saving their lives. All four propellers were found to be broken when the machine landed. Sir Henry Birkin took command of the situation in the luxurious saloon, when Hannibal dived. He told the others to keep calm and to relax their bodies in order to lessen the shock. Mishap to Aeroplane. The descent of the Hannibal was due to failure of one engine and a piece of metal therefrom breaking a propeller blade. The hull was not damaged. Hannibal has luxurious accommodation for forty-tyvo passengers and is the biggest aeroplane in commercial use in the world. Her four engines develop 2200 horse-power. She was placed on the regular Croydon-Paris run on Tune 12. llffliilliiiiiiiiiiiiw