DAKOTA CRASHES ON HILL IN MARLBOROUGH WITH WORKS DEPARTMENT LOAD

Grey River Argus, 10 August 1948, Page 5

DAKOTA CRASHES ON HILL IN MARLBOROUGH WITH WORKS DEPARTMENT LOAD

TWO WELL KNOWN PILOTS KILLED INSTANTLY P.A. WELLINGTON, August 9. A Dakota air freighter, under charter to the Bail ways Department, was wrecked on a 1,700-foot hill near the entrance to Tory Channel, Marlborough, yesterday morning. The ’plane, “Patera, ZK — AOE,” was piloted by Messrs M. C. McLeod and R. J. B. H. Makgill, both of whom had been flying for 20 years. The ’plane was missing from 8.38 a.m., and was due at its destination 32 minutes later. After a search lasting four hours, the sighting of wreckage was reported.

Both pilots were well known in Nelson. They were formerly on the Cook Strait Airways passenger- service. Makgill joined Cook Strait Airways in 1937, and he remained with the company until the outbreak of the war. Makgill’s wife lives in Collingwood Street, Nelson. He joined the R.A.F. in 1929, transferring on the outbreak of war from the Reserve of Officers to the R.N.Z.A.F. He was Chief Navigation Instructor and Chief Flying Instructor on the Operation Training Unit for flyingboats, and was awarded the AirForce Cross in January, 1945, McLeod was the Commander of a Lockheed in the restricted service to Nelson, which operated during the war. LAST SIGNALS

The ’plane “Parara, ZK—AOE,” today left Blenheim for Paraparaumu at 8.30 a.m. Her flight plan showed she carried 7.741 lbs. of general freight, a load which is some hundreds of pounds below its maximum pay-load. On the take-off the Dakota was carrying enough fuel for one hour 20 minutes. The flight plan also disclosed that the pilot intended flying below the cloud; base, which was 1,000 to 1,500 feet. At this height there was a light layer of stratocumulus cloud. The Dakota, on leaving the South Island coast, sent a routine report, after which there was a black-out. Her last report was at 8.38 a.m., when she was over the Wairau bar. The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at Paraparaumu at 9.10 a.m. THE SEARCH' As soon as the aircraft was reported overdue to the air traffic control, Wellington, a check was instituted and a, number- of aircraft were alerted. The air-sea rescue organisation was sent into Cook Strait and three N.A.C. Douglas aircraft also joined in the search. Other aircraft were thrown into the search as soon as the report was verified. Harvards from Rongotai, Ohakea and Woodburn joined the search and an air-sea rescue Catalina was despatched from Auckland. Two Mosquitoes fifom Ohakea took off, and a Dakota on a training flight at Paraparaumu, was diverted to the area. A dozen aircraft were engaged. A report from Te Awaite station, which is close to the normal route followed to Paraparaumu, stated that conditions were good. There was a good deal of cloud and mist around the sounds coastline, but further out towards the North Island coast,visibility was clear. The first report from the searching aircraft was of oil slicks five miles south of Cape Terawhiti. The director of air traffic control, Wing Commander L. F. P. Taylor, said these slicks need not necessarily have come from the aircraft, but may have been left by a ship. Upon receipt of the report of oil slicks, other aircraft were diverted to the area, and high-speed chasers from the Tory Channel whaling station were asked to proceed immediately to investigate. WRECKAGE SIGHTED

At 1.30 p.m., a report was received that wreckage believed to be the missing Dakota ’plane, was sighted on a 1,700-foot hill near the entrance to Tory Channel, Marlborough.

Bodies of Pilots Found Near Wreck P.A. WELLINGTON, Aug. 9. A ground party found the bodies of the pilots, McLeod and Makgill at the wreckage of the Dakota. They both have apparently been killed instantaneously. Account Of The Searches P.A. WELLINGTON, Aug. 9, When it crashed into the hillside near Port Underwood soon after it left Woodbourne aerodrome at Blenheim, for Faraparaumu this morning, the Railways Dakota freighter was wrecked and the crew of two killed instantly „ The first pilot, Murdo Campbell McLeod ( aged 41, whose home was at Palmertson North, and the second pilot, Richard James Robert Haldane Makgill, also aged 41, who lived at Auckland. • , , At 10 a.m. the plane was reported overdue, and 12 aircraft went to search. Many other aircraft were diverted from their normal routes to keep a close lookout for wreckage or survivors. Air-sea x’escue launches were also brought into the search and at least four launches carried out a surface search. Two high-speed radio-equipped whale-chasers were used in the search by the Perano Brothers. Low cloud conditions hampered the searchers in the area in the earlier part of the day. One of the Seal ch and Rescue Organisations Catalina flying-boats was sent from Auckland and it landed at Evans Bay. The news that the wreckage had been found came before the Catalina could leave. She was fully prepared for rescue and search operations. . The reports from searching aircraft of oil slicks five miles southeast of Cape Terawhiti were investigated, but since whale blubber was also seen in the vicinity, it was concluded that the oil was the result of whaling operations, and had no connection with the missing aircraft. News of the wreck came when another Dakota freighter, keeping a special lookout on its southward service run from Faraparaumu, reported sighting wreckage on the nillsiae just behind Fighting Bay, south of Run-Under Point, between Tory Channel and Port Underwood. I he wreckage was on the eastern (seaward) slope of the hillside, not many feet below the crest. Three land parties were dispatched to the scene of the wreckage. The first of these parties arrived about 4 p.m.. A party of volunteer searchers from Picton went by way of Port Underwood. A police party, headed by. Sergeant T. Johnston, and accompanied by Dr. J. Boyd, left Blenheim at 3 p.m. ant

went by way of Wairau Bar by launch. A third party went ashore from one of the whale-chasers, and reports were received from them which stated it appeared that both pilots had been killed instantly. The bodies were removed by the police, who are carrying them to Blenheim. WHALER’S PARTY FIRST TO REACH WRECKAGE Fuselage Burnt And 400 Yards Area Littered P.A. BLENHEIM, August 9. The first land party to reach the scene of the crashed Dakota, which hit a hillside at Port Underwood, while on a routine freight flight from Blenheim to Paraparaumu this morning, found wreckage littered over an area of about 400 square yards. The bodies of both members of tne crew, Commancer M. C. McLeod and ■Commander R. J. R>. H. Makgiil were thrown a considerable distance in front of the wreckage. It was apparent that they bad been killed outright. The fuselage of the plane was burnt out, but'the tail assembly and wings were still intact. The first eye-witness account of the disaster came from a party from the Te Awaite Whaling Station in Tory Channel, comprising Messrs J. A. Perano, J. I-I. Perano, G. P. Perano, J. Hooey, and B. Parkes. This party, which had set out along the coastline in a whale chaser accompanied by the vessel Tuatea. which acts as the mothership to the chasers, first sighted the wreckage just before 3 p.m.. It was about 1000 feet up on a ridge separating Port Underwood from Cook Strait. It was about miles Jo the south of Rananga peak, where it was at nrst reported that the crash had occurred. It took the party about half an hour to climb the steep tussockcovered ridge, and, as soon as it was ascertained that the crew of the plane had been killed, word was sent back to Flying Control. Wellington, by wireless from the Tuatea. A police partv left Blenheim about 3 p.m. to-day and, after travelling from Wairau bar by launch, arrived at the scene just after 5.30 p.m.

CAUSE UNCERTAIN YET "We have no idea whatever what could have happened,” said WingCommander Taylor. “With the load it was carrying it should have been able to maintain height. Both pilots were exceptionally experienced men and, should any trouble with the aircraft have developed, we would have expected to receive a radio report from them.” He added that the question of how long the Dakota would float on the water would depend on many factors. If the pilots intended to “ditch” their aircraft through* engine trouble, they would have wirelessed their intention. “It is one of the worst air accidents to take place in New Zealand for some time,” said Flight Lieutenant A. W. B. Hayman, Wellington Area Controller of air traffic. “It is the first major accident the National Airways Corporation freight service has had.” He said it was impossible to state the cause of the accident until the circumstances had been fully investigated. There would be a normal inquiry. LOW CLOUD THE CAUSE? Experienced pilots who flew over the scene or the wreck formed the opinion mat low lying cioua naa caused the accident. When tne piane reported to tne ground axter leaving oiennenn its aimude was then stated co oe XoUO feet. Vvnen tne aircraft left Woodbourne it was carrying suxiicient ruei ror a one Hour 2u minutes' xiignt. Tne xoaa ox freight was several nundreas oi pounds below its maximum payioaa. ide xiignt plan snowed that tne cloud base was IDuU xeet to 15,0uu feet. At this height there was a light layer ox strato-cumuius cioua The meteorological lorecast of conditions in tne area had predicted a cloud ceiling ox luOu to loud feet. When the search was oeing conducted during tne latter part or the morning and in the afternoon, pilots lound the ceiling at little more than i ou xeet in places, since the hillside was struck oy tne aircraxt at an altitude of at least HOU feet—-it may, it is said, be found to be higher man that wnc.n an R.rI.Z.A.F. ground party makes accurate determinations tomorrow, it is probaoie, pilots say, that the ridge was enveloped m cioad at tne time of the crash. The normal course from Woodbourne to Faraparaunu takes an aircraft well clear ox tne hills behind Fighting Bay, and there is no explanation available as to the reason why the Dakota was to the west of the normal course. From the angle at which the search parties report it to have struck the hillside —it was at a spot very little below the crest —it is estimated that it was flying a course parallel to the normal one. THE WRECKAGE Those who have flown over the area say that little of the aircraft remains. The fuselage forward of the doors broke away at the impact, the thrust of the cargo, it is surmised, acting as a battering ram. All that remains of the lorepart of the fuselage and the cargo is a twisted mass of charred wreckage, and a considerable area of the hillside to the northwardI—a 1 —a southerly breeze was blowing—has been scorched by the heat of the fire. A wing is lying near the rear portion of the fuselage, broken away. There is no sign of the engines, and it is thought that they must have broken away from their mountings and rolled down the hillside into the gully beneath. The wreckage apparently skidded some distance after the impact. j , .. It is expected that the bodies wih be brought back to Blenheim tomorrow morning. Pilot McLeod, who is a member of the Hokowhitu .Golf Club Palmerston North, had been playing in the Picton Golf Club’s Championship tournament jesterday, and returned the best gross score of the day. ’