Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 4, 2017 21:13:52 GMT 12
Aircraft returning home from the South Island Air Pageant held at the opening of Otago Air Port (Taieri Aerodrome) had some serious issues with weather en route. From the New Zealand Herald, 24th of February 1931:
AEROPLANES CRASH.
GOVERNMENT MACHINES.
FOUR OCCUPANTS UNHURT.
REMARKABLE MISADVENTURE.
FALLS ALMOST SIMULTANEOUS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] TIMARU, Monday. Two New Zealand Government aeroplanes crashed shortly after 10 a.m. today owing to atmospheric conditions, near Silverton, the homestead of Mr. J. M. H. Tripp, 14 miles from Geraldine. One of the machines had won the aerial Derby at the Otago Aero Club's pageant at Dunedih on Saturday. The other was piloted by Wing-Commander Grant Dalton, Director of Dominion Air Services. The four occupants of the aeroplanes escaped with severe shakings. Both machines were returning from Dunedin. The Derby winner, a wooden Moth, was piloted by Flight-Sergeant S. Simpson, the chief mechanic at Wigram aerodrome, who had as a passenger Flight-Sergeant L. A. C. Dini. The second aeroplane, a metal Moth, also carried a passenger. Although the actual cause of the accidents is not known the atmospheric conditions were particularly bad, with lightning, thunder and low clouds, and air pockets gave trouble. Without a moment's notice both aeroplanes crashed. Tho metal Moth was the first to strike the ground. Its under-carriage was broken and other damage was caused.
The wooden Moth crashed a few seconds Inter and was seriously damaged, the under-carriage being totally wrecked and the propeller was smashed. Although the site of the crashes is less than a quarter of a mile from the homestead the field where the aeroplanes lie is a tussocky wind-swept waste. It seems remarkable that the occupants of the wooden Moth were not either killed or seriously injured, as the under-carriage was pushed up through the flooring of the pilot's seat and the most exposed parts of the machine were badly smashed. A Government lorry was loaded with parts of the wreckage by mechanics from Sockburn. It has been decided to send the wooden Moth to Christchurch for repairs and it is hoped that the metal machine will be sufficiently reconstructed to be flown to Christchurch to-morrow.
Immediately after the accident "Wing-Commander Grant Dalton communicated with Christchurch by telephone and later in the day he left by service car for that city, intending to cross by the ferry to Wellington. The other occupants of the aeroplanes are guests at "Silverton." They were reticent when questioned about their misadventure.
BATTLE AGAINST STORM.
FORCED LANDINGS MADE.
ONE MACHINE OVERTURNED.
[BT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, Monday.
Four aeroplanes which left Dunedin yesterday for Wellington had an exceptionally rough trip throughout. All went well until, npproaching Blenheim last evening, when, as a result of four hours' battle against head winds from Christchurch, the petrol supplies ran low.
Captain J. Stedman, of the Wellington Aero Club, who had Mr. C. C. Waite as a passenger in the club's Spartan machine, made a forced landing in a paddock near the Blind River. The machine overturned and the propeller was smashed. The airmen escaped unhurt. Mr. Jamieson, of Wellington, who was flying solo in a Moth machine, turned back and landed safely alongside the Spartan.
The other two machines, piloted by Messrs. Sinclair, of Masterton, and F. McDonald, of Wellington, reatched Blenheim with their petrol exhausted. They were just able to swoop into the aerodrome. A propeller for the Spartan machine is being sent, from Wellington, and the aeroplane will fly home when the weather clears.
AEROPLANES CRASH.
GOVERNMENT MACHINES.
FOUR OCCUPANTS UNHURT.
REMARKABLE MISADVENTURE.
FALLS ALMOST SIMULTANEOUS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] TIMARU, Monday. Two New Zealand Government aeroplanes crashed shortly after 10 a.m. today owing to atmospheric conditions, near Silverton, the homestead of Mr. J. M. H. Tripp, 14 miles from Geraldine. One of the machines had won the aerial Derby at the Otago Aero Club's pageant at Dunedih on Saturday. The other was piloted by Wing-Commander Grant Dalton, Director of Dominion Air Services. The four occupants of the aeroplanes escaped with severe shakings. Both machines were returning from Dunedin. The Derby winner, a wooden Moth, was piloted by Flight-Sergeant S. Simpson, the chief mechanic at Wigram aerodrome, who had as a passenger Flight-Sergeant L. A. C. Dini. The second aeroplane, a metal Moth, also carried a passenger. Although the actual cause of the accidents is not known the atmospheric conditions were particularly bad, with lightning, thunder and low clouds, and air pockets gave trouble. Without a moment's notice both aeroplanes crashed. Tho metal Moth was the first to strike the ground. Its under-carriage was broken and other damage was caused.
The wooden Moth crashed a few seconds Inter and was seriously damaged, the under-carriage being totally wrecked and the propeller was smashed. Although the site of the crashes is less than a quarter of a mile from the homestead the field where the aeroplanes lie is a tussocky wind-swept waste. It seems remarkable that the occupants of the wooden Moth were not either killed or seriously injured, as the under-carriage was pushed up through the flooring of the pilot's seat and the most exposed parts of the machine were badly smashed. A Government lorry was loaded with parts of the wreckage by mechanics from Sockburn. It has been decided to send the wooden Moth to Christchurch for repairs and it is hoped that the metal machine will be sufficiently reconstructed to be flown to Christchurch to-morrow.
Immediately after the accident "Wing-Commander Grant Dalton communicated with Christchurch by telephone and later in the day he left by service car for that city, intending to cross by the ferry to Wellington. The other occupants of the aeroplanes are guests at "Silverton." They were reticent when questioned about their misadventure.
BATTLE AGAINST STORM.
FORCED LANDINGS MADE.
ONE MACHINE OVERTURNED.
[BT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, Monday.
Four aeroplanes which left Dunedin yesterday for Wellington had an exceptionally rough trip throughout. All went well until, npproaching Blenheim last evening, when, as a result of four hours' battle against head winds from Christchurch, the petrol supplies ran low.
Captain J. Stedman, of the Wellington Aero Club, who had Mr. C. C. Waite as a passenger in the club's Spartan machine, made a forced landing in a paddock near the Blind River. The machine overturned and the propeller was smashed. The airmen escaped unhurt. Mr. Jamieson, of Wellington, who was flying solo in a Moth machine, turned back and landed safely alongside the Spartan.
The other two machines, piloted by Messrs. Sinclair, of Masterton, and F. McDonald, of Wellington, reatched Blenheim with their petrol exhausted. They were just able to swoop into the aerodrome. A propeller for the Spartan machine is being sent, from Wellington, and the aeroplane will fly home when the weather clears.
