HAZARDOUS FLIGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26635, 4 December 1947, Page 5

HAZARDOUS FLIGHT

Flying Boat’s Forced Return to Sydney ONE ENGINE DISABLED

Rec. 10 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 3. After one engine cut out in a squall when only 200 feet above the Tasman, the Sandringham flying boat, New Zealand, made a hazardous return flight of 380 miles to Sydney with 29 passengers and a crew of six. Before her sister ship, the Auckland, with 30 passengers and a crew of six joined the crippled aircraft as escort, freight and baggage were dumped to assist the aircraft to gain height. No mail was jettisoned as all bags have been accounted for.

The commander of the aircraft, Captain I. Patterson, made the following statement on returning to Rose Bay, Sydney, at 12.10 p.m. to-day:— “ We left Rose Bay at 5.30 a.m., and two hours later descended to 200 feet because of heavy weather. We flew under a heavy rain cloud until 8.30 a.m., when we were about 400 miles from Sydney. “ Shortly afterwards I noticed a bad oil leak from the inner starboard engine, and suddenly the motor began to vibrate. f Smoke poured from it. I climbed to 500 feet because of heavy rain and rough conditions, feathered the motor and decided to return to Sydney. “ The first message was then sent reporting that one engine was feathered and fixing the expected arrival time at Sydney as. noon. Then we decided to jettison all weight. The crew's baggage was jettisoned first and the passengers’ baggage and freight followed. We were still unable to gain height because of the rough conditions. At 8.40 a.m, we were down to 50 feet, and our air speed was getting vex-y low. After unloading the baggage and freight we

were able to gain height to 100 feet and hold it until we came out of the heavy rain. We then climbed to 1000 feet. We had made radio contact with Captain D. Keesing, of the flying boat Auckland, and he joined us about 9.30 a.m.

“ The stewardess, Miss M. Morton, ordered the passengers to don their lifebelts, and checked that they were strapped in their seats in case the plane had to land on a choppy sea. Nearly all the passengers were ill, but according to a member of the crew there was no panic when it was realised that the plane was in difficulties. Among the passengers were the Anglican Bishop Ashton Oldham,, of Albany, New York, and his wife. Wh#n the 'first news reached Sydney fast air sea rescue launches were ordered to sea, and a Liberator was prepared at Amberley aerodrome, at Brisbane. All naval vessels were alerted.

A Tasman Empire Airways spokesman said this afternoon that the company would probably reimburse the passengers for their los es, and would immediately replace necessary articles