POLAR CRASH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20256, 16 March 1934, Page 1

POLAR CRASH.

BYRD LOSES PLANE AT LITTLE AMERICA. New Zealander Aboard. NO ONE SERIOUSLY HURT, BUT MACHINE WRECKED. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received March 16, 12.40 p.m.) LITTLE AMERICA, March 14. The single-engined Fokker monoplane Blue Blade, one of the four of the expedition, crashed at 12.30 p.m. to-day I 500 yards south of Little America. The pilot, Lieutenant-Commander Schloss-’ bach (United States Navy) and his three passengers, including Mr Harry Young (of New Zealand) were severely shaken, or suffered slight cuts, but were otherwise uninjured. The plane was completely wrecked. The engine and instruments can be salvaged. The Fokker had just taken off in a temperature 20 below zero for a test flight preparatory to a southern flight in company with the Pilgrim monoplane. Together the two planes were to transport to a depot 100 miles • south the food and stores required for the advance winter base which Admiral j Byrd proposed to establish on the Ross ' Ice Barrier, approximately 200 miles south of Little America. Tractors are now making ready here : for the southern advance. They are to | pick up the stores and relay them as far through as time and weather will , permit. Byrd was disinclined to let j the crash discourage the immediate ] prosecution of his various southern ] missions. Last week’s three days’ blizzard, over-! cast skies, abominable visibility and high drift-laden winds have seriously delayed the projected southern excursions. “ Good w’eather is too precious this season to be wasted so long as we have good weather and from now until April 19. when the ■winter night sets in. it will be rare,” said Admiral Byrd. “We must take advantage of it.”