The Samaritans

This is the story of a Christmas-time rescue by a civilian crew of Air New Zealand of an American registered Cessna 188, overdue at Norfolk Island on a flight from Pago Pago. It is a story of exceptional airmanship. And it shows how you never know when some of the old ‘tricks of the trade’ will be the only aids available.

It was a routine short-haul DC-10 flight, TE. 103 bound Nadi for Auckland, via waypoints ‘Sarma’, ‘Larex’,. ‘Kakad’, ‘Kilok’ and then Auckland destination. The flight time a projected three hours. Soon after leaving Nadi, Fiji, at about 0530 hours Zulu (GMT) on December 21, the Captain of the DC-10, Gordon Vette received a radio call on 8847 kHz from Auckland Oceanic Control . . . a call which was to stretch his flight time to nearly seven hours!

The text of the message read Would New Zealand one-zero three attempt contact with the Cessna 188 Agtruck, and assist if possible?’ Captain Vette requested the last HF radio frequency used by the Cessna and was given 13304 kHz. Captain Vette called the overdue aircraft on this channel and eventually got a response from a rather worried young American, Mr J. E. Prochnow, of Trans Air, Oakland Airport, California, who was delivering the Cessna 188 to Australia. Captain Vette quizzed the young pilot, and it was soon realised that the American had about two and a half hours’ fuel left, and was two hours overdue for Norfolk Island.

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