SAVED BY COOL SKILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 651, 1 May 1929, Page 1

SAVED BY COOL SKILL

Marlborough Flyers’ Adventure

PLOT ill after trying ordeal

especial to THE SUNI

BLENHEIM, To-day. A SLIGHT error of judgment would have spelt disaster for the occupants of the Marlborough Aero Club’s plane which has now been salvaged from Ship Cove, where Captain Chandler made a forced landing in a heavy rainstorm on Monday afternoon. How near to a tragedy they were, and how much is owed to the cool skill of the pilot, is revealed by Mr. C. 11. Macdonald, now safe home at Blenheim. Mr. Macdonald is none the worse for hi.s experience, but Captain Chandler is confined to bed under medical attention for a couple of days. The Moth was little damaged by the impact, but Captain Noel Chandler and Mr. Macdonald were unable to get her ashore without assistance, and the storm on Monday night resulted in serious damage. The plane was punted to Picton last night and is being inspected to-day by the club’s ground engineer.

The forced landing at Ship Cove hu on account of engine trouble. Shptain Chandler had hoped to reach Icton, but the engine became so unuliable that a landing at the earliMt possible moment was imperative. The Ship Cove beach presented as food a chance as anywhere, and the nehine was headed in and landed t 2 p.m. The crew spent a eomforttsa night ashore in rain-drenched In the morning Captain Chandler nlked to Cannibal Cove, arriving tout 10 o’clock. Some time later a lunch, believed to be one belonging o Mr. J. Perano's whalers, picked up [r. Macdonald from Ship Cove. Both Mn were provided with much-needed god by Mrs. Fissenden, whose hus4nd was out searching the coast toward Cape Jackson. Neither man appeared much worse; for the trying experience. - The story of their adventure was related last evening by Mr. Macdonald. He Moth, he said, took off from Hastings at 9.45 a.ra. on Monday morning, in company with other machines. With the exception of Captain Hall, the other pilots had arranged to land at Parorangi. Here the jjristol machine was to be refuelled. HEAVY CLOUDS The conditions were bumpy. A smart trip of an hour saw all the machines on the ground at Parorangi. Taking the air again. Captains Findlay and M 3rcer were the first away, followed half an hour later by the Blenheim Moth. The latter took a south-westerly course ever Foxton and Paekakariki to Cape Terawhiti, and at this point should have headed for Tory Channel. At this time the South Island was Quite nvisible under heavy raindoudg, so Captain Chandler headed Ihs machine for Lyall Bay, where the traditions were clear. At this mosent the clouds over the Souib Wand lifted, and the Brothers and the northern part of the South Island Mrs clearly visible. It was decided to run part of the Pay across the Strait in the hope of i further improvement in visibility. When the Moth was half-way across he water the clouds again shut down rad both islands were obscured. Descending to within 50ft of the Pater the airmen found the Brothers iimly visible, but the mainland could not be observed, and the machine turned in the direction of Tory Channel and Port Underwood. Although the airplane must have been within 100 ft of the cliffs, not a glimpse of them was available. The machine was turned about and a little later again picked up the Brothers, which were circled twice to enable the lightkeeper j te read its identification letters, f the airmen being well aware they were “up against it" and at the mercy of their engine, loet then the engine gave signs of “An air lock," said Captain Chand*r laconically. The machine flew low and picked ® the entrance of Queen Charlotte "®nd. If anything the conditions JW® worse. Blinding rain beat ®°nt the airplane. With Moturua ““id just dimly visible below the ragine spluttered and cut out.

“Any landing place here?” asked the pilot. INTO A GLIDE “You might put her down at Ship Cove and you might not,” was the reply of the passenger. He pointed out the direction and the machine was put into a glide. Through the fog Ship Cove became dimly visible, and as the tide was full the little beach was covered. One patch of flat rock about 40ft square was visible. Captain Chandler, with uncanny accuracy, headed for it for a “pancake” landing. He undershot it 10ft, and the machine stalled and in the fraction of a second fell nose down in the water 20ft from the shore. The pilot was quickly overboard in water up to the armpits. Mr. Macdonald was in the forward cockpit and had some difficulty in extricatiug himself from under the wings. The crew waded ashore in sheets of rain. It was a wonderful landing in the circumstances and the pilot’s judgment undoubtedly saved their lives. At this stage the machine was virtually undamaged. If the crew had had a length of rope to pull the tail down it could have been*got ashore. The airmen w r ere in plight, wet to the skin, and with their cigarettes and matches sodden. A Are was out of the question. The rain poured down pitilessly. The pair crouched down in an old packing case they discovered. LOST IN DARK AND RAIN Captain Chandler set off later in an attempt to reach Cannibal Cove, leaving his partner in misfortune to the packing case. Two hours later the pilot, now hopelessly lost in the thick bush, halloed for direction and found his way back to the packing case. There the pair had to face long hours of darkness with the rain beating down pitilessly and unceasingly. The cold was intense. It was an awful night. At dawn Captain Chandler again set off, eventually reaching Cannibal Cove after a strenuous effort of four hours. About the same time Mr. Macdonald attracted the attention of a fishing launch and a little later Captains Mercer and Hall flew over head in searching machines, and Captain Mercer dropped a packet of sandwiches. Mr. Perano’s launch then picked up Mr. Macdonald and later Captain Chandler, who had telephoned the news of his own and his companion’s safety. The adventurers have been inundated with telegrams of congratulation and received a wonderful welcome at Picton and Blenheim. Both much appreciate the steps taken to locate them.