MISSING PLANE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21232, 1 October 1940, Page 6

MISSING PLANE

BELIEVED FORCED DOWN THREE AIR FORCE MEMBERS SEEN IN MOKAU DISTRICT Last seen near Tcngaporutu, on the coast midway between Mokau and New Plymouth, about 1.30 p.m. yesterday, an Airspeed Oxford monoplane with three members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force is believed to have been forced down in the Mokau district. A machine was seen flying in heavy mist and rain near the coast, making south in the direction of the white cliffs at Pukearuhe. The crew is as follows: Flying-Officer Harry Nalder Major, single, aged 29, an instructor at the Ohakea aerodrome. Flight-Sergeant Sheldon Benton Smith, single, aged 25, son of M.r and Mrs Henry Smith, of 4. Grange Road, Mount Eden, Auckland. Corporal Raymond Bernard Smith, single, aged 23, whose sister is Mrs C. T. Morgan, of 118 Miramar Avenue, Miramar, Wellington. Two Machines Leave The men spent the week-end in Auckland, and left the • Hobsonville air base yesterday at 11.45 a.m. Two machines left together for Ohakea, one being piloted by Flying-Officer Major. Bad weather was encountered and the other machine was turned back, arriving safely at Auckland. At about 1 p.m. a young man in the Mokau district saw a'n aeroplane answering the description of the missing Oxford. It was apparently experiencing engine trouble, as the engine seemed to cut out. Later an aeroplane was seen flying north, and again making south. It was last seen just south of Tongaporutu. The missing plane carried petrol for five hours’ flying. Drizzling rain was falling last night in the vicinity where the machine was last sighted, and there was no reliable information to provide the basis for a search. WEATHER RETARDS SEARCH PLANES SEEN OVER PATEA (By Telegrapli.—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Tuesday Three Airspeed Oxfords left Hobsonville Air Base at 6 o’clock this morning to search for fliers missing in the Taranaki district. Owing to bad weather one machine returned to Auckland. The other two landed at New Plymouth. The Auckland planes will search the area north of New Plymouth, while planes from Ohakea will search other areas. The search will be continued as soon as the weather improves. A report received in Auckland states that a plane which might have been the missing plane was seen over Patea at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon. REPORTS FROM MOKAU CONSTABLE’S VAIN SEARCH (By Telegraph.—Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday According to telephoned advice from Constable Powell, of Mokau, this morning several people who were questioned said they heard one and possibly two planes flying low early yesterday afternoon in the vicinity of Mokau. The constable resumed the search along the cliff edge on the beach between Mokau and Mohakatino this mprning, but without result. Visibility was good till 11 o’clock, when a violent electrical storm occurred, j continuing till afternoon.

Two of the three Airspeed Oxfords which left Hobonsville at six this morning landed at New Plymouth at eight and left again shortly afterward to resume the search.