AIR TAXI CRASH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 173, 24 July 1930, Page 7

AIR TAXI CRASH.

POSSIBLE THEORIES.

Aerial Regulations Questioned in

Commons.

EVERY PRECAUTION TAKEN.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright)

LONDON, July 23. Experts suggest in connection with the crash of the air taxi near Gravesend that the engine may have slewed round through some failure •in the fixing, with the result that the propeller, rotating at a . terrific speed, struck a wing and caused it to break off. One view expressed is that Colonel Henderson, the pilot, coming out of the clouds in a fairly steep glide, was unable to check the-glide and got into a wing flutter, the over-strain causing the wing to collapse. No signs of an explosion have been found. The German designer of the wrecked machine is flying to England to investigate the mystery. Viscount Ednam, husband of one of the victims, is suffering from, ptomaine poisoning. He has left Le Touquet for England with his mother, the Countess of Dudley; The disaster was the subject of a question in the House of Commons. The Under-Secretary for Air, Mr. F. Montague, Avas asked to state what control the Air Ministry exercises over passenger-carrying aircraft, whether such machines are subjected to periodical inspection, if so, how often, and U he was satisfied that the regulations are carried out in such a manner as to reduce accidents to a minimum. Inspection of Machines. In reply, Mr. Montague said it was difficult within the compass of a Parliamentary statement to summarise the very elaborate regulations prescribed by the Air Ministry in order to ensure the safety of passenger-carrying aircraft. Briefly the Ministry required aircraft of the kind to be inspected within 24 hours of each flight, the inspection to be undertaken by a competent ground engineer, who was required to provide a certificate in writing.

The inspection covered not only the machine but the engine or engines. The person in charge of a machine had to satisfy himself that the various requirements had been met. The Under-Secretary said he was not in a position to make any delinite statement in regard to the machine which crashed unti? the investigation instituted by the Air Ministry into tlie accident was complete, but he was in general satisfied that the regulations were most strictly applied and everything possible was done by those responsible for the air services to reduce the risk of accident to a minimum. .Mr. Montague took the opportunity on behalf of, the Secretary of State for Air, Lord Thomson, and himself, of conveying to the relatives, of those who had lost their lives an expression of profound sympathy in tlieir bereavement. He was sure the House would wish to_be associated with that expression of sympathy. . ,

INQUEST OPENS.

CAUSE OF CRASH UNKNOWN.

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 12 noon.)

RUGBY, Julv 23

At the inquiry into the death of the six victims of Monday's air disaster,, the coroner read a letter from Mrs. Henderson, widow of the pilot, Colonel G. Henderson, expressing sorrow for the relatives of the victims, • and adding that 110 one would have been more brokenhearted than the late pilot. Shortly before the inquest four representatives of the Junkers Company, makers of the machine, had arrived, paving flown from Germany. The remains of the machine were taken to London for further detailed examination by officials of the Air Ministry, who are investigating the causc of the accident, which at present remains a matter for speculation. , The flower-covered coffins of the victims lay in a hut behind a tiny village tea-room at Meopham, where the inquest opened. There were affecting scenes as the bodies were identified. A gardener described how one body fell in the orchard and rebounded nine yards to where lie was standing. The inquest was adjourned till August 13 to enable the Air Ministry to complete the investigations.

AVIATOR DEAD.

CURTISS, PIONEER DESIGNER,

(Received 0.00 a.m.)

BUFFALO (New York), July 23

Glenn H. Curtiss, the famous aviation pioneer, died on Wednesday, following an operation for appendicitis several days ago.

Glenn Hammond Curtiss, born 1878, early began experiments with motor care and motor cycles, and ran a factory in his home town of Hammondsport,. New York. After setting several motor cycle speed records, in 1907 lie did" the "flying mile" in 46 2-5 seconds. About that time lie was experimenting with aeroplanes, and in 1909, besides several European trophies, he won the "New York World" prize of 10,000 dollars for a flight from Albany to New York, a distance of 145 miles, in just under three hours. A successful flying boat was built by him in 1912. Curtiss developed the "Wasp" machine, which held the world's record for altitude, speed and climbing, and the well-known Navy-Curtiss flying boats, one of which made the first Atlantic crossing in May, 1919. ' He was president of the G. H. Curtiss Manufacturing Company, the Curtiss Aeroplane Company, Curtiss Motor Company, and the Curtiss Engineering Company, etc. Speed boats and scooters, lifeboats and dirigibles occupied his attention in later life.