Salamaua

’Plane Crash At

Another Carpenter Machine Wrecked

ANE of W. H. Carpenter and Co.’s D.H. 6l aeroplanes, piloted by G. J. I.

Clark, crashed while taking off from the Logui aerodrome, Salamaua, New Guinea, on October 24. Though the machine was wrecked beyond repair, the pilot was not seriously injured.

Another ’plane to replace the D.H. 61 has been purchased in London by the company and will shortly be shipped to New Guinea by the W.R.C. line.

This is the second mishap that has be fallen the Carpenter air fleet within a month. Three weeks earlier one of the company’s Dragon Moths crashed into the treetops at Black Cat Creek, while flying between Salamaua and Wau. The pilot, Colin Ferguson, died from injuries while being taken to Wau Hospital.

Situated in swamp land, the Salamaua ’drome becomes extremely treacherous after heavy rains, making it very difficult for ’planes to take off and land with safety. Recently it has been receiving the attention of the New Guinea Admini stration’s public works department and the runway of several hundred yards was being repaired.

Rising steeply as they take off towards the sea, the aeroplanes bank, then turn to commence the sharp climb to 6000 ft., which is necessary to fly across the rug ged mountain ranges. From Salamaua to Wau the trip occupies less than 20 minutes, but there is no possible landing ground between the two townships in the event of bad weather or engine trouble.

Mr. P. J. O’Brien, of Kulumbangra, Solomon Islands, arrived in Sydney by the Malaita on November 8. He has been in the group for 17 years and after furlough in Australia will return to Stanmore Es tate in the Solomons in January.