Lapse of Memory Blamed

Finding on Drover Crash.

T>ESULTS of an inquiry which 1\ followed the forced landing of a Fiji Airways Drover plane on a reef off Bau, at end of August, have been released.

The inquiry was conducted by Squadron-Leader H. C. Salmon, RNZAF. He reported: “The cause of the accident was the failure of the pilot to turn off the port fuel tank cock before that tank became empty. The technical evidence shows no other cause. The failure of the pilot to carry out this operation cannot be described as other than a serious failure, as he had knowledge of the instructions laid down in the Operations Manual . . . . and the danger of engine stoppage if that operation were not carried out. The fact that the port fuel tank was empty to a degree requiring his attention ought to have been present in his mind be fore leaving Savusavu and through out the return journey as the level in the tank was reduced to a dangerous stage (it contained 15 gallons at take-off).

“When the engine began to falter and when he knew the tank was empty, the cause of the fuel starva tion should have come to his mind.

It is difficult to explain why it had not, and the explanation must be that which the pilot himself has ?iven, mental fatigue following a long tour of operations and an un accountable lapse of memory.

“Insofar as the landing of the aircraft is concerned, there can be 10 doubt that the pilot did all that lould be expected, and no possible alame can be attributed to him in ;his respect.”

The pilot was Captain F. P. Ladd, he company’s chief pilot, who has )een constantly engaged in flying n Fiji since World War II but who low has left Fiji and gone to live n NZ.

L Nut Came Off The Rapide

For reasons that are not clear, he official report into the inquiry if the crash of Fiji Airways Rapide n April, was released a week or so iter the above report.

The Rapide crash inquiry was onducted by Squadron-L ead e r I. K. Walker, RNZAF. The find ag was that the cause of the forced anding was due to a propeller pinner nut coming off and so re using a propeller as the aircraft ook off. The nut had not been ecured. There were no injuries but lails and luggage were lost in the ire which destroyed the aircraft rtien it overturned 1,000 yards from he airstrip.

Mrs. John Aheam, of Port loresby, arrived in Sydney early in leptember to attend the marriage f her daughter, Margaret, to Mr. jeslie Smith of Brisbane.