A SKILFUL LANDING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 253, 25 October 1937, Page 6

A SKILFUL LANDING

WESTERN FEDERATED ’PLANE PILOT ENABLE TO LOCATE ’DROME MACHINE BROUGHT INTO PADDOCK [ Per Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Oct. 24. Unable to locate Mangere Aerodrome in the gathering darkness and a heavy rainstorm, Mr. C. R. Parker, pilot of an aeroplane belonging to the Western Federated Flying Club, New Plymouth, made a successful forced landing in a paddock between Manurewa and Weymouth shortly before 7 o’clock on Saturday night. The machine, a Gipsy Moth twoseater, took off from New Plymouth with a passenger for Auckland shortly after 4 o’clock. A strong northerly wind reduced the air speed considerably and the visibility was rendered poor by rain squalls encountered on the trip, which is usually completed in about two hours. Darkness was fast settling over the countryside when the machine neared Mangere, and the pilot’s difficulties were further increased by heavy rain squalls. After circling over the Weymouth district, which is on the coast and not unlike the Mangere Aerodrome site in configuration, the pilot decided to make a landing in a paddock alongside the Manurewa-Weymouth road. Grazing lands in the locality are of undulating character, but Mr. Parker succeeded in safely landing in a paddock on Mr. V. Rogers' farm. The area of the paddock in which the machine was set down is about 150 yds. square and two rows of telephone and power line poles flank the roadway on the western side.

Residents Irom neighbouring farms, whose attention was atattracted by the low flying of the machine, were surprised to find it undamaged and the two occupants uninjured. An eye witness said that he feared the aeroplane wings would foul the overhead wires as it was manoeuvred into the wind before landing.

The machine was pegged down under the side of a hedge and the pilot and passenger were driven to the city by a passing motorist. Early this morning the pilot was flown from Mangere to Weymouth and after bringing his machine to the aerodrome departed on the return trip to New Plymouth.