OVERSHOOT
After being away from home for ten weeks I was looking forward to my return to the South Island. I accepted a short term transfer to work in Hamilton as I had never been there at the time it was suggested to me as a good place to move my family to, and this presented a chance to get the feel of the place.
The technicians' workshop I was employed in most of the day was on the eighth floor of a newly completed high rise building in the centre of the city. It was foggy most of the time I was in Hamilton and we were usually isolated by it from the world below.
On the morning of my departure the weather deteriorated and by the time I left the 'bus that had brought me to the airport it had become worse. As the Friendship climbed from the runway the wind was blowing in strong gusts causing the aircraft to drift sideways during take off frightening some of the passengers. The Air Hostess told us that normal flying conditions should be found when we reached a higher altitude, but a short time later as refreshments were starting to be served we were buffeted by very strong winds. Suddenly the aircraft dropped, losing a great deal of height and I had the sensation that my seat had been kicked away from under me like when I had first flown in a Tiger Moth. The captain told us he would look for a less turbulent course to fly on.
It soon appeared that no calmer area was to be found and by that time we were approaching Palmerston. We were given a weather report telling us that airports at Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin were closed , the airport at Hamilton was no longer open for take off or landing.
I looked out of the window beside me as I became aware of a sensation quite original to me. A mixture of fear and puzzlement, I suppose. It appeared there was no place we could land, so what would happen if conditions were still the same when we ran out of fuel? It was beginning to dawn on me that we may not survive.
The captains voice came through to us again. "We are approaching Palmerston airport. I am going to attempt a landing, brace yourselves as it will be rough as we get nearer to the ground because strong cross winds will be blowing as we make our approach". We could see the runway in the distance and as we got closer it appeared to continually be swinging to the left and to the right as the pilot tried to keep the aircraft on course. At the same time the aircraft was twisting, in one instant the passengers on the left side were looking down on those on the right and this was reversed immediately afterwards. We felt a bump as we got onto the run-way. My seat was just under the left undercarriage and only this wheel had made contact, because the aircraft was at such an acute angle. I felt certain we were about to crash as the tip of the wing was so close to the ground. The captains came voice again, shouting this time, "Stand by for overshoot". The nose of the aircraft suddenly lifted, it seemed to me we were climbing like a rocket far beyond the rate I imagined a Friendship capable of. We leveled out and the captain told us he would try another landing, this time at Ohakia where there were more runways meaning he would be able to land into the wind.
We were thankful to be on the ground again where we were taken to the sergeants mess for a cup of tea and a biscuit. I sank into an arm chair and lit a cigarette. A voice said, "Mind if I sit next to you, sir?" I glanced up to see the Air Hostess from the 'plane. "No not at all". "Look", she said " I gave up smokes about six months ago, but this is the first overshoot I've been in and I'd give a lot for one now". I pulled out my packet again. "Help yourself, I know just how you feel".