BIG BAY AIR CRASH INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 264, 4 August 1937, Page 5

BIG BAY AIR CRASH INQUIRY

Statement by Pilot of Plane By Telegraph -Press Association Invercargll, August 2. The following statement concerning the finding of the board of inquiry on the Big Bay air tragedy last December was made to-night by Mr. Bradshaw, pilot of the plane:— "In the report of the board of inquiry is a finding of negligence against me as pilot of the machine. Owing to the inquiry being held in camera, in spite of my objections, the full evidence has not been made available to the public to read, but reference to parts of it is made in the report, "The evidence given by Pilot Clarke and myself that the machine would glide safely at 70 miles au hour is not mentioned. I questioned the accuracy of the evidence given of a stalling speed of 65 miles an hour, and a'sked that tests be made with a similar machine at present in use in New Zealand._ This request has been ignored. The evidence of a plate screwed in the cockpit of the machine .for the information of pilots has also been ignored. This plate reads as follows: ’Climb 65 miles an hour, stalling speed 50 miles an hour on normal load.’ “I cabled the makers, the De Havilland Company, as follows: ’Re. Fox ZKADC, makers’'plate states stalling speed normal load fifty, what would stalling speed be total weight 20001 b. conditions normal, height above sea level 200 feet, information required connection with inquiry.' They replied: ‘Stalling speel 18001 b. 37.5 miles hour. 20001 b. 50 miles h'our.’ The finding qf negligence by the board is based on evidence that the machine would stall at between 60 and 65 miles an hour, which is 10 to 15 miles an hour above the stalling speed given by the makers for a full load of 20001 b. Had tests been carried out as I requested the inaccuracy of the evidence of a stalling, speed of betw'een 60 and 65 miles an hour would have been proved. In fairness to myself I wish to put the above facts before the public in order that they appreciate the evidence on which my reputation as a pilot has been attacked. I cannot claim space to deal with other statements in the report, but I wish to point out that the total load of the machine at the time of the accident was below that allowed by the certificate of airworthiness for the machine issued by the Aviation Department.” (The report of the finding of the inquiry appears on page 11.)