Landing on a Reef: A Case Study - Revision history

Rickerjones: /* Flight of the Monospar Croydon ST-18 */

2012-10-05T20:37:28Z

Flight of the Monospar Croydon ST-18

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:37, 5 October 2012
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	==Flight of the Monospar Croydon ST-18==		==Flight of the Monospar Croydon ST-18==
	What was publicly announced as a personal flight became a promotional tour to demonstrate a competitively performing, economical new aircraft built on the “American formula”. The Monospar Croydon was a low wing, retractable gear machine with variable pitch propellers, stressed skin construction, and trailing edge flaps. The flight from London to Melbourne offered an opportunity to best the existing England to Australia record; however, time taken for necessary repairs ~~from~~ a hard landing caused the attempt to fail. A second attempt was planned for the return flight to England. The pilot of the £14,000 Monospar Croydon was Harold “Tim” Wood, assisted by the craft’s designer, Frederick F. Crocombe. Also on the crew were engineer, L. Davies and Wireless operator Charles Gilroy.[http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html]		What was publicly announced as a personal flight became a promotional tour to demonstrate a competitively performing, economical new aircraft built on the “American formula”. The Monospar Croydon was a low wing, retractable gear machine with variable pitch propellers, stressed skin construction, and trailing edge flaps. The flight from London to Melbourne offered an opportunity to best the existing England to Australia record; however, time taken for necessary repairs due to a hard landing caused the attempt to fail. A second attempt was planned for the return flight to England. The pilot of the £14,000 Monospar Croydon was Harold “Tim” Wood, assisted by the craft’s designer, Frederick F. Crocombe. Also on the crew were engineer, L. Davies and Wireless operator Charles Gilroy.[http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html]

	==Compass Problems==		==Compass Problems==

Rickerjones: /* Links */ add category

2012-09-14T17:37:55Z

Links: add category

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	[[Category:Research Methods]]		[[Category:Research Methods]]
	[[Category:Maps]]		[[Category:Maps]]
			[[Category:Navigation]]

Rickerjones: /* Air Accidents Committee’s Report */

2012-09-14T17:14:46Z

Air Accidents Committee’s Report

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	{{hint\|		{{hint\|
	POST SCRIPT		'''POST SCRIPT'''

	The month following the fishing crew’s return to Kaladupa, the Captain of the fishing boat received a letter advising him to go to Bau Bau to receive a reward for the rescue of the crew of the Monospar Croydon. A young member of the boat’s crew later stated for the record: “In the contents of the letter it was written 3000 ringgit. But they only received 300 ringgit because the amount had been reduced because of all the offices the letter had passed through, from Java to Makassar and to Bau Bau.” The Captain of the fishing boat received 90 ringgit; the other crewmembers divided the remainder. [http://epress.anu.edu.au/apem/boats/mobile_devices/ch04s03.html ] A second fishing boat, ''Asia'', had accompanied the ''St. Gambor Boelon'' to fish the reefs. It was south of Seringapatam Reef when the plane landed and was the boat the plane attempted to communicate with by dropping the can containing a note. After many years one of its crewmembers recalled: “We went to have a look at the plane afterwards and measured the wingspan¬-it was eight depa (fathoms) long.” “The frame of the plane is still there to this day” [1995].		The month following the fishing crew’s return to Kaladupa, the Captain of the fishing boat received a letter advising him to go to Bau Bau to receive a reward for the rescue of the crew of the Monospar Croydon. A young member of the boat’s crew later stated for the record: “In the contents of the letter it was written 3000 ringgit. But they only received 300 ringgit because the amount had been reduced because of all the offices the letter had passed through, from Java to Makassar and to Bau Bau.” The Captain of the fishing boat received 90 ringgit; the other crewmembers divided the remainder. [http://epress.anu.edu.au/apem/boats/mobile_devices/ch04s03.html ] A second fishing boat, ''Asia'', had accompanied the ''St. Gambor Boelon'' to fish the reefs. It was south of Seringapatam Reef when the plane landed and was the boat the plane attempted to communicate with by dropping the can containing a note. After many years one of its crewmembers recalled: “We went to have a look at the plane afterwards and measured the wingspan¬-it was eight depa (fathoms) long.” “The frame of the plane is still there to this day” [1995].
	}}		}}

	==Links==		==Links==
	[http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Research/Bulletins/64_ReefLanding/64_ReefLanding.htm Better Than Average Luck]		[http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Research/Bulletins/64_ReefLanding/64_ReefLanding.htm Better Than Average Luck]

Rickerjones: /* Air Accidents Committee’s Report */ Add liinks

2012-09-14T17:08:18Z

Air Accidents Committee’s Report: Add liinks

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:08, 14 September 2012
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	The month following the fishing crew’s return to Kaladupa, the Captain of the fishing boat received a letter advising him to go to Bau Bau to receive a reward for the rescue of the crew of the Monospar Croydon. A young member of the boat’s crew later stated for the record: “In the contents of the letter it was written 3000 ringgit. But they only received 300 ringgit because the amount had been reduced because of all the offices the letter had passed through, from Java to Makassar and to Bau Bau.” The Captain of the fishing boat received 90 ringgit; the other crewmembers divided the remainder. [http://epress.anu.edu.au/apem/boats/mobile_devices/ch04s03.html ] A second fishing boat, ''Asia'', had accompanied the ''St. Gambor Boelon'' to fish the reefs. It was south of Seringapatam Reef when the plane landed and was the boat the plane attempted to communicate with by dropping the can containing a note. After many years one of its crewmembers recalled: “We went to have a look at the plane afterwards and measured the wingspan¬-it was eight depa (fathoms) long.” “The frame of the plane is still there to this day” [1995].		The month following the fishing crew’s return to Kaladupa, the Captain of the fishing boat received a letter advising him to go to Bau Bau to receive a reward for the rescue of the crew of the Monospar Croydon. A young member of the boat’s crew later stated for the record: “In the contents of the letter it was written 3000 ringgit. But they only received 300 ringgit because the amount had been reduced because of all the offices the letter had passed through, from Java to Makassar and to Bau Bau.” The Captain of the fishing boat received 90 ringgit; the other crewmembers divided the remainder. [http://epress.anu.edu.au/apem/boats/mobile_devices/ch04s03.html ] A second fishing boat, ''Asia'', had accompanied the ''St. Gambor Boelon'' to fish the reefs. It was south of Seringapatam Reef when the plane landed and was the boat the plane attempted to communicate with by dropping the can containing a note. After many years one of its crewmembers recalled: “We went to have a look at the plane afterwards and measured the wingspan¬-it was eight depa (fathoms) long.” “The frame of the plane is still there to this day” [1995].
	}}		}}
			==Links==
			[http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Research/Bulletins/64_ReefLanding/64_ReefLanding.htm Better Than Average Luck]

			[http://tighar.org/aw/mediawiki/index.php?search=landing+on+the+reef&go=Go&title=Special%3ASearch Landing on the Reef]

			<!-- Please leave this category marker at the bottom. You may add this article to other categories if you wish -->

			[[Category:Research Methods]]
			[[Category:Maps]]

Rickerjones: /* Rescue */ adjust image

2012-09-14T16:53:12Z

Rescue: adjust image

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	==Rescue==		==Rescue==
	[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|~~350px~~\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area 70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.		[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|400px\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area 70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.

	==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==		==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==

Rickerjones: /* Rescue */ adjust image

2012-09-14T16:49:40Z

Rescue: adjust image

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	==Rescue==		==Rescue==
	[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|~~350~~\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area 70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.		[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|350px\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area 70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.

	==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==		==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==

Rickerjones: /* Landing On the Reef */

2012-09-14T16:48:39Z

Landing On the Reef

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:48, 14 September 2012
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	==Landing On the Reef==		==Landing On the Reef==
	[[Image:Monospar Croydon on Seringapatam Reef (Courtesy Flightglobal).jpg\|~~350~~\|thumb\|left\|<div align="center">The only General Aircraft Monospar Croydon ST-18 ever built is shown after landing on Seringapatam Reef in the Timor Sea. While taxiing to a higher dry area on the reef, the tail wheel yoke fractured on the rough coral, otherwise the plane was undamaged. (Image Courtesy of Flightglobal)</div>]]Circling to find the best location to set the machine down, the pilot made a “touch and go” landing to confirm the suitability of the reef. It appeared firm. On a second flat approach a landing was successfully made with no damage to the aircraft. Bringing in fuel for a subsequent take-off from the reef even seemed a possibility. When the pilot elected to taxi to a higher dry area of the reef, the aircraft tail wheel fork fractured from the rough surface and dropped the tail to the ground. The neap tide was now at low water, but it was rising rapidly. (That day the tide would rise to three feet; in a few weeks it would rise to 14 feet, enough to submerge the aircraft, and during the spring tide, it would reach 20 feet, with heavy swells from the northwest monsoon possibly breaking up the aircraft.) [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47901763] The crew’s first action after landing was to run out the trailing wire antenna supported by two collapsible boat oars. Wireless communication was attempted and though they heard both Darwin and Surabaya, contact with neither could be made. The port engine with a generator was started in order to recharge the batteries run low by the radios. After two hours, it was realized that contact was not possible. Personal gear and four day’s rations and water were loaded into their collapsible boat.		[[Image:Monospar Croydon on Seringapatam Reef (Courtesy Flightglobal).jpg\|400px\|thumb\|left\|<div align="center">The only General Aircraft Monospar Croydon ST-18 ever built is shown after landing on Seringapatam Reef in the Timor Sea. While taxiing to a higher dry area on the reef, the tail wheel yoke fractured on the rough coral, otherwise the plane was undamaged. (Image Courtesy of Flightglobal)</div>]]Circling to find the best location to set the machine down, the pilot made a “touch and go” landing to confirm the suitability of the reef. It appeared firm. On a second flat approach a landing was successfully made with no damage to the aircraft. Bringing in fuel for a subsequent take-off from the reef even seemed a possibility. When the pilot elected to taxi to a higher dry area of the reef, the aircraft tail wheel fork fractured from the rough surface and dropped the tail to the ground. The neap tide was now at low water, but it was rising rapidly. (That day the tide would rise to three feet; in a few weeks it would rise to 14 feet, enough to submerge the aircraft, and during the spring tide, it would reach 20 feet, with heavy swells from the northwest monsoon possibly breaking up the aircraft.) [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47901763] The crew’s first action after landing was to run out the trailing wire antenna supported by two collapsible boat oars. Wireless communication was attempted and though they heard both Darwin and Surabaya, contact with neither could be made. The port engine with a generator was started in order to recharge the batteries run low by the radios. After two hours, it was realized that contact was not possible. Personal gear and four day’s rations and water were loaded into their collapsible boat.

	==Rescue==		==Rescue==

Rickerjones: /* Rescue */ add space

2012-09-14T00:24:17Z

Rescue: add space

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:24, 14 September 2012
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	==Rescue==		==Rescue==
	[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|350\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an ~~area70~~ miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.		[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|350\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area 70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.

	==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==		==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==

Rickerjones: /* Rescue */ clarify

2012-09-14T00:19:30Z

Rescue: clarify

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:19, 14 September 2012
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	==Rescue==		==Rescue==
	[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|350\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, ~~they~~ were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.		[[Image:Proposed vs. Actual Track.jpg\|350\|thumb\|right\|<div align="center">Proposed route from Darwin to Koepang, and the actual track of the Monospar Croydon after navigating with a faulty compass and erroneous night time DF bearings from Darwin. The aircraft landed on Seringapatam Reef 267 miles south of its intended destination.</div>]]The Maylayan fishing smack fished at Seringapatam Reef only once or twice a year. The boat ''St. Gambor Boelon'', from Boeton in the Celebes, was now fishing in Seringapatam’s lagoon. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] It was about a mile away from the west side of the reef where the Monospar Croydon landed. After the aircrew got their attention, the boat stood off to await them while they waded and pushed the collapsible boat with their possessions through deep rocky pools “infested with giant clams and occasional small sharks”. [http://www.lomcovak.com/museum-monospar.html] Arriving at the boat they found communicating with the fishermen extremely difficult. The only word the fishermen recognized was “Koepang”. It took five hours to convince them to take the aircrew aboard the boat, and then interrupt their fishing to transport them to Koepang. After boarding the fishing boat, the fishermen were given a pair of binoculars. It was a long 55 hours on the cramped, malodorous boat with rotting fish, surviving on short rations when they spotted the SS ''Nimoda'', a British cargo steamer 100 miles from Seringapatam Reef. Captain Sadlier, Master of the ''Nimoda'', brought his vessel closer and asked if he could be of service. “And how!” was the response. With the Croydon’s crew transferred aboard the ''Nimoda'' bound for Durban, the “exhausted, unshaven, hungry men” gave their first thoughts “to get out radio messages to their wives and next to notify their company of the plight of their machine”. [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62777569?searchTerm=crew's%20trying%20ordeal%20now%20safe%20on%20steamer&searchLimits=] Australian authorities, having learned of the overdue Croydon, dispatched a patrol launch to search an area70 miles from Koepang, the presumed position of the aircraft when contact was lost. Shipping was advised to be on watch, and the Dutch sent two flying boats to the area to begin searching. A message from the ''Nimoda'' was dispatched to authorities stating that they had picked up the aircrew from a fishing boat that had rescued them near Seringapatam Reef. On the ''Nimoda'', the aircrew learned that they had ended up 267 miles south of their destination, and that both their compass and the Darwin radio bearings were in error.


	==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==		==Air Accidents Committee’s Report==

Rickerjones: /* Landing On the Reef */ Photo Credit

2012-09-14T00:05:42Z

Landing On the Reef: Photo Credit

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:05, 14 September 2012
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	==Landing On the Reef==		==Landing On the Reef==
	[[Image:Monospar Croydon on Seringapatam Reef (Courtesy Flightglobal).jpg\|350\|thumb\|left\|<div align="center">The only General Aircraft Monospar Croydon ST-18 ever built is shown after landing on Seringapatam Reef in the Timor Sea. While taxiing to a higher dry area on the reef, the tail wheel yoke fractured on the rough coral, otherwise the plane was undamaged. (Courtesy, Flightglobal)</div>]]Circling to find the best location to set the machine down, the pilot made a “touch and go” landing to confirm the suitability of the reef. It appeared firm. On a second flat approach a landing was successfully made with no damage to the aircraft. Bringing in fuel for a subsequent take-off from the reef even seemed a possibility. When the pilot elected to taxi to a higher dry area of the reef, the aircraft tail wheel fork fractured from the rough surface and dropped the tail to the ground. The neap tide was now at low water, but it was rising rapidly. (That day the tide would rise to three feet; in a few weeks it would rise to 14 feet, enough to submerge the aircraft, and during the spring tide, it would reach 20 feet, with heavy swells from the northwest monsoon possibly breaking up the aircraft.) [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47901763] The crew’s first action after landing was to run out the trailing wire antenna supported by two collapsible boat oars. Wireless communication was attempted and though they heard both Darwin and Surabaya, contact with neither could be made. The port engine with a generator was started in order to recharge the batteries run low by the radios. After two hours, it was realized that contact was not possible. Personal gear and four day’s rations and water were loaded into their collapsible boat.		[[Image:Monospar Croydon on Seringapatam Reef (Courtesy Flightglobal).jpg\|350\|thumb\|left\|<div align="center">The only General Aircraft Monospar Croydon ST-18 ever built is shown after landing on Seringapatam Reef in the Timor Sea. While taxiing to a higher dry area on the reef, the tail wheel yoke fractured on the rough coral, otherwise the plane was undamaged. (Image Courtesy of Flightglobal)</div>]]Circling to find the best location to set the machine down, the pilot made a “touch and go” landing to confirm the suitability of the reef. It appeared firm. On a second flat approach a landing was successfully made with no damage to the aircraft. Bringing in fuel for a subsequent take-off from the reef even seemed a possibility. When the pilot elected to taxi to a higher dry area of the reef, the aircraft tail wheel fork fractured from the rough surface and dropped the tail to the ground. The neap tide was now at low water, but it was rising rapidly. (That day the tide would rise to three feet; in a few weeks it would rise to 14 feet, enough to submerge the aircraft, and during the spring tide, it would reach 20 feet, with heavy swells from the northwest monsoon possibly breaking up the aircraft.) [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47901763] The crew’s first action after landing was to run out the trailing wire antenna supported by two collapsible boat oars. Wireless communication was attempted and though they heard both Darwin and Surabaya, contact with neither could be made. The port engine with a generator was started in order to recharge the batteries run low by the radios. After two hours, it was realized that contact was not possible. Personal gear and four day’s rations and water were loaded into their collapsible boat.

	==Rescue==		==Rescue==