FORCED LANDING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 64, 20 September 1939, Page 8

FORCED LANDING

DIFFICULT FEAT SAFE TAKE-OFF LATER An uncnA'iablc experience Avhich befell a Thames airman. on ■ Tuesday evening Avas that of having to make a forced landing on a farm at Ngakuru, A-isibilitA" being poor and darkness descending SAA-iftly. The pilot Avas Mr C. Crowe,, Avho had hired the Hamilton Aero Club's Gipsy Moth, ZK-ACC, to make a 'light to Napier on Tuesday. With him p.s passenger he had liis mother. Reaching Taupo on th? return t'-'.p v T.r Crowe considered that he Avoviki not have time to tra\'e| to Hanr'i ';.ir before dark so lie. set his course Icr Uoto~ns>. At Ngaknru, '.ow "louds ami the failing I'ght wer- 1 making Hying conditions so difficult and dangerous that he decided t" land, picking out a flat padlock or, the nronerty of Mr P. C. Willoughby as a likely emergency landing grouu-' He brought the 'plane down safely and Avithout damage,, and was taken 'ntn Rotorua where he spent the night. Th" fo'loAving morning Mr Crowe vas taken back to the '•nlane, and handling his machine skilfully, made ■i good take-off from an aAvkward oosition. He fl'-w to Rotorua. whc<v V nicked up his mother, and departed later for Hamilton.