LOST AEROPLANE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 225, 22 September 1937, Page 8

LOST AEROPLANE

COOK STRAIT TRAGEDY EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY I Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. The disappearance over Cook Strait on March 23 of the de Havilland Moth 'plane belonging to the Western Federated Aero Club when returning from the pageant at Hokitika was the subject of an inquiry to-day. The machine was piloted by Arthur Smith, oi Pungarehu, near Opunake, and J. Hamill, of Pungarehu, was a passenger. Several small pieces of wreckage were subsequently recovered on the coast north of Makara, but no trace of the bodies was found.

The Inquiry Board comprised Mr Stillwell, S.M.; Flight-Lieutenant Burrell, and Flying-Officer Orchard. Mr N. A. Foden conducted the inquiry on behalf of the Air Department. Cyril Henry Plumtree, pilot of the machine which Smith was following, gave evidence of not receiving any warning of clouds in the vicinity of Terawhiti when leaving Nelson. They climbed to 5000 and retained that height, a safe gliding distance across Cook Strait. He then saw a layer of clouds. When he reached them the ceiling was 1500 feet. He found he had to go down to preserve visibility. Smith’s ’plane was then on his right and they could see the coastline. It was his intention to follow the coastline to Wanganui. He could not see how far the cloud extended, but assumed that he would come through into clear skies. He found that to get under the clouds he had to come within 40 feet of the water. The cloud at that stage was a blank wall. He found that visibility was nil, and made a left-hand turn. The water was very hard to distinguish from the mist. When he last saw the other ’plane he was at 200 ft. altitude. The other ’plane was then maintaining its position, and if Smith maintained that angle and did not turn when witness did he would hit the water. When witness turned he thought Smith was still following and he hoped Smith would see him turn at the critical period. The coastline was visible about 50 or 75 yards away. After turning, witness made altitude and climbed out of the wedge formation of cloud into the clear air. He circled round for about ten minutes and thinking there was a possibility of trouble, headed for Rongotai. Instructions Regarding Clouds Plumtree said he had had definite instructions regarding clouds —to go round them, to go back, to go under them if having enough altitude, or to climb above them. He decided to go under the clouds and see if there was ' enough ceiling. Witness was aware ol • his responsibility in having another i pilot following him. In the case or two aeroplanes travelling together, preservation of mutual visibility was essential. He still thought his decision was quite justifiable. It was, perhaps, not in accordance with flying practice to go as low as he did.

Gerald Lomax Stedman said he was in charge of the Wellington team which went to the pageant, weather had been bad for three days. They got as far as Nelson on March 22 and then decided that conditions were not good enough to go on. Plumtree said he would fly with thb Wellington formation until over the strait. Witness saw the cloud on the way over and thought he would probably see Plumtree at Rongotai. The New Plymouth machines had only two alternatives —to go under the cloud or not go at all. His action in going under the cloud was definitely justifiable. Apparently Plumtree turned back at the right time and the other man did not. Only experience could enable a pilot to judge the exact time to turn back. When Plumtree arrived at Rongotai, witness went out on a search with him in a machine equipped with blind-flying instruments.

lan Herbert Neil Keith, instructor to the Western Federated Club, said that Plumtree was quite justified in going under the cloud. It was either an error in judgment in turning bacA or meeting phenomenal conditions which accounted for the accident. Smith might have decided to go through. He was not an over-confi-dent pilot, but was of good average type. No instructions had been given to Smith to follow Plumtree. _ After other witnesses had given evidence, the decision was reserved.