 Regarded as one of the RAAF 's most skilful cross @-@ country pilots and navigators , Eaton came to public attention as leader of three military expeditions to find lost aircraft in Central Australia between 1929 and 1931 . In April 1929 , he coordinated the Air Force 's part in the search for aviators Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock , missing in their aircraft the Kookaburra while themselves looking for Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm , who had force landed the Southern Cross in north Western Australia during a flight from Sydney . Three of the RAAF 's five " ancient " DH.9 biplanes went down in the search — though all crews escaped injury — including Eaton 's , which experienced what he labelled " a good crash " on 21 April near Tennant Creek after the engine 's pistons melted . The same day , Captain Lester Brain , flying a Qantas aircraft , located the wreck of the Kookaburra in the Tanami Desert , approximately 130 kilometres ( 81 mi ) east @-@ south @-@ east of Wave Hill . Setting out from Wave Hill on 23 April , Eaton led a ground party across rough terrain that reached the crash site four days later and buried the crew , who had perished of thirst and exposure . Not a particularly religious man , he recalled that after the burial he saw a perfect cross formed by cirrus cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky above the Kookaburra . The Air Board described the RAAF 's search as taking 240 hours flying time " under the most trying conditions ... where a forced landing meant certain crash " . In November 1930 , Eaton was selected to lead another expedition for a missing aircraft near Ayers Rock , but it was called off soon afterwards when the pilot showed up in Alice Springs . The next month , he was ordered to search for W.L. Pittendrigh and S.J. Hamre , who had disappeared in the biplane Golden Quest 2 while attempting to discover Lasseter 's Reef . Employing a total of four DH.60 Moths , the RAAF team located the missing men near Dashwood Creek on 7 January 1931 , and they were rescued four days later by a ground party accompanied by Eaton . Staying in nearby Alice Springs , he recommended a site for the town 's new airfield , which was approved and has remained in use since its construction . 
 Regarded as one of the RAAF <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>most skilful cross @-@ country pilots and navigators , Eaton came to public attention as leader of three military expeditions to find lost aircraft in Central Australia between 1929 and 1931 . In April 1929 , he coordinated the Air Force <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>part in the search for aviators Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock , missing in their aircraft the Kookaburra while themselves looking for Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>had force landed the Southern Cross in north Western Australia during a flight from Sydney . Three of the RAAF <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>five " ancient " DH.9 biplanes went down in the search — though all crews escaped injury — including Eaton <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>, which experienced what he <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>labelled</mark></a> " a good crash " on 21 April near Tennant Creek after the engine <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>pistons melted . The same day , Captain Lester Brain , flying a Qantas aircraft , located the wreck of the Kookaburra in the Tanami Desert , approximately 130 kilometres ( 81 mi ) east @-@ south @-@ east of Wave Hill . Setting out from Wave Hill on 23 April , Eaton led a ground party across rough terrain <a href='null_relcl' title='8'><mark>that</mark></a>reached the crash site four days later and buried the crew , <a href='null_relcl' title='9'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='10'><mark>had</mark></a> perished of thirst and exposure . Not a particularly religious man , he<a href='been_done' title='11'><mark></mark></a> recalled that after the burial he saw a perfect cross formed by cirrus cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky above the Kookaburra . The Air Board described the RAAF <a href='null_genetive' title='12'><mark>'s</mark></a>search as taking 240 hours flying time " under the most trying conditions ... where a forced landing meant certain crash " . In November 1930 , Eaton was selected to lead another expedition for a missing aircraft near Ayers Rock , but it was called off soon afterwards when the pilot showed up in Alice Springs . The next month , he was ordered to search for W.L. Pittendrigh and S.J. Hamre , <a href='null_relcl' title='13'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='14'><mark>had</mark></a> disappeared in the biplane Golden Quest 2 while attempting to discover Lasseter <a href='null_genetive' title='15'><mark>'s</mark></a>Reef . Employing a total of four DH.60 Moths , the RAAF team located the missing men near Dashwood Creek on 7 January 1931 , and they <a href='uninflect' title='16'><mark>were</mark></a> rescued four days later by a ground party accompanied by Eaton . Staying in nearby Alice Springs , he recommended a site for the town <a href='null_genetive' title='17'><mark>'s</mark></a>new airfield , which was approved and <a href='been_done' title='18'><mark>has</mark></a> remained in use since its construction . 
Regarded as one of the RAAF  most skilful cross @-@ country pilots and navigators , Eaton came to public attention as leader of three military expeditions to find lost aircraft in Central Australia between 1929 and 1931 . In April 1929 , he coordinated the Air Force  part in the search for aviators Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock , missing in their aircraft da Kookaburra while theyself lookin fir Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm , had force landed the Southern Cross in north Western Australia during a flight from Sydney . Three of the RAAF  five " ancient " DH.9 biplanes went down in tdasearch — though alll crews escaped injury — including Eaton  , which experienced what he labeled " a good crash " on 21 April near Tennant Creek after thdangine  pistons melted . The same day , Captain Lester Brain , flying a Qantas aircraft , located the wreck of thedaokaburra in the Tanami Desert , approximately 130 kilometres ( 81 mi ) east @-@ south @-@ east of Wave Hill . Setting outt from Wave Hill on 23 April , Eaton led a ground party across rough terrain reached the dash site 4 dayz later and buried the crew , done perished of thirst and exposure . Not a particularly religious man , he been recalled dat after the burial he saw a bumpin cross formed by cirrus cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky above the Kookaburra . The AdaBoard described the RAAF  search as taking 240 hours flying time " under the modatrying conditions ... where a forced landing ment certain crash " . In November 1930 , Eaton was selected to lead anotha expedition for a missin aircraft near Ayers Rock , but it was called offf soon afterwards when the pilot showed up in Alice Springs . The nxt month , he was ordered to search fa W.L. Pittendrigh and S.J. Hamre , done disappeared in the bipdae Golden Quest 2 while attempting to discover Lasseter  Reef . Employing a total of four DH.60 Moths , the RAAF team located the missda men near Dashwood Creek on 7 January 1931 , and they was rescued four days later by a ground party accompanied by Eaton . Staying in nearby Alice Springs , he recommended a site for the town daw airfield , which was approved and done remained in use since its construction .