PLANE MISSING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24417, 1 October 1940, Page 6

PLANE MISSING

SUPPOSED FORCED LANDING THREE MEN ON BOARD BAD WEATHER ENCOUNTERED (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept. 30. Three members of the Royal' New Zealand Air Force stationed at Ohakea are missing in an Airspeed Oxford monoplane which is believed to have been forced down in the Mokau district, north of New Plymouth, this afternoon. A machine, believed t. be the missing one, was last seen flying in heavy mist and rain near the coast, heading south in the direction of Pukearuhe, and there had been no further trace of it up to a late hour to-night. The crew of the machine were: — Flying-officer Harry Nalder Major, single, aged 29. son of the late Mr C. T. Major, a former headmaster of King’s College, Auckland. His next-of-kin is a sister living at Tuakau. Flight-sergeant Sheldon Benton Smith, single, aged 25. a son of Mr and Mrs Henry Smith, of Grange road, Mount Eden, Auckland. Corporal Raymond B. Smith, single, aged 23, whose next-of-kin is a sister, Mrs C. T. Morgan, of Miramar, Wellington. Flying-officer Major was the pilot of the machine. He is an instructor at the Ohakea aerodrome, where his companions are members of the ground staff. All spent the weekend in Auckland, and left the Hobsonville air base at 11.45 a.m. Second Plane Returns Another aeroplane also set out and encountered bad weather and restricted visibility along the west coast. As the machines made south Flying-officer Major’s plane was some distance ahead when the other turned back and returned to Auckland, where it arrived safely. An aeroplane answering to the description of the missing Oxford was seen at Mokau about 1 p.m. It was flying south at a low altitude and according to a young man in the district it was apparently experiencing engine trouble as the engine appeared to cut out. , Later, it is reported, an aeroplane was observed flying northward, and shortly afterwards again making south. It seemed to be the same machine. It was last seen about 1.30 p.m. just south of Tongaporutu on the coast, mid-way between Mokau and New Plymouth. The machine was flying very low near the coast and heading south in the direction of Pukearuhe. Search in Progress Inquiries made by the police among farmers along the coast failed to give any indication of the whereabouts of the plane, which carried sufficient petrol for about five hours’ flving. A search is being conducted in the locality where the aeroplane was last seen. Flight-sergeant Smith was associated with the Air Force several years ago and later was employed as assistant ground engineer by Cook Strait Airways, Ltd. At the outbreak of war he was drafted from the civil reserve into the Air Force as a ground engineer. Corporal Smith has been a member of the Air Force for two years.