[QUOTEMust be a few stories out in Ppruneland to be told from those that have flown for Executive Airlines, Pennair, Nicholas Skways, RFDS and Pelair on the contract. QUOTE]
Thread drift from Essendon but couldn't help throwing in a similar experience while flying a RAAF Lincoln bomber on a SAR in another era. A Tiger Moth was missing in the Whitsunday Passage and we searched for it. We found it in one piece on a tiny beach of one of the islands. The pilot was waving and had written "Help Snakes" in the sand.
We prepared to drop a storpedo with emergency supplies from the bomb bay of the Lincoln. Because of the shape of the small island we were forced to come in low while turning to avoid a headland. While at 200 feet and turning to line up, the aircraft slowly dropped the right wing and despite full aileron the wing kept on dropping even though we were at 140 knots which was a safe speed.
The only thing left to avoid hitting the sea was pull back both port throttles and full power on both starboard throttles and as much rudder as we could push to get the wing up. It is a long time ago now, but I recall we got the wings level about 100 ft above the water at the same time passing over the Tiger Moth and its pilot. There was no turbulence but it was obvious there was a huge downdraft in the lee of a small hill on the island.
We left the Tiger Moth pilot to his snakes and pissed off back to Townsville.
A boat picked him up next day and we lived to fly another day.
Last edited by Centaurus; 19th May 2012 at 12:58.