AIRSHIP DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 32, 1 November 1930, Page 11

AIRSHIP DISASTER

Evidence at Inquiry PAGE FROM THE LOG Revolutions and Speed Pin OIL-PRESSURE DROP? An important piece of evidence produced at the inquiry into the airship disaster was a charred page from the log of the RlOl picked up near the scene of the wreck. This appeared to show that there had been a sudden r drop in the oil fuel pressure, but it was possible the AttorneyGeneral said that the entry had not been finished. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Rec. October 31, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 30. The Court of Inquiry into the RIO J disaster was resumed to-day. It has been elicited in the proceedings that the experts who examined the wreck reached the conclusion that no part of the main structure of the vessel broke in the air. The elevator control wheel was found to be set full. The explosion followed and did not precede the crash From a microscopic examination of the cable of the elevator control all the indications were that it became severed after, and not before, the fire following the crash. It was also made clear, on the authority of the Director of the Meteorological Office, that suggestions that the fialure of the altimetre might have produced the disaster were not borne out by the evidence. This proved, according to the Attorney-General, that the instrument was reading correctly at the moment of the crash. Cause of Explosion. The Attorney-General, on behalf of the Air Ministry, said that the inquiry was not merely to determine how the crash occurred, but the cause of the explosion and fire after the crash. Airships had come down before without explosion. Sir Stafford Cripps said that the passengers in RlOl’s trial flight at the Hendon Air Pageant, in July would Say that heaviness was experienced and a lot of ballast was dropped due to gas leakages;, This morning the Court began the hearing of witnesses, the first being Professor Bairstow, chairman of Airworthiness of Airships. Entries in. Log. A charred sheet of paper picked up close to the spot where the RlOl was wrecked was produced at to-day’s hearing of the inquiry into the disaster,, and was stated by the Attorney-General to be a page of the log of the airship. Sir William jowitt said the exhibit was of the utmost importance because it showed the revolutions of the engine and the cruising speed down to the time of the accident. He added: “The last entry was at 2 a.m. At that time the revolutions w’ere perfectly normal, but the oil fuel pressure, instead of being from 30 to 31, as it had been all along, appeared to be only 3. The numeral 3 at least was the only entry against that time. Whether this was at the moment of the crash, and there was no time to finish the entry, cannot be said. I am told that it would be a matter of engineering practice that if you found your engine pressure at 3 you would stop your engine at once before making any entry.” . Sir John Simon, President of the Court, said the man apparently did not complete the entry. It was stated that Cook, one of the survivors, -was the engineer in question. WORKERS DISCHARGED Pensions for Widows of Victims London, October 30. In the House of Commons, the Undersecretary for Air, Mr. F. Montague, said that the loss of RlOl necessitated the discharge of 139 men and 94 woment from the airship works at Cardington. . AU the widows 'of the victims of the RlOl disaster would be pensioned during their widowhood, with additional pensions for their children. AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY Engineer and Radio Operator (Rec. October 31, 5.5 p.m.) firitisl. Wireless Rugby, October 30. The Air Ministry announces that the King has, awarded the Albert Medal-to Henry .Leech, foreman engineer, in recognition of his gallantry when the RlOl was wrecked. Leech re-entered the burning wreckage and rescued a companion, receiving burns while doing so. A Medal of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire has been awarded to Arthur Disley, the wireless operator of RIOL Disley, after escaping with severe burns, insisted on telephoning to the Air Ministry, before treatment, the first account of the wreck.