CRASH OF AIRLINER KYEEMA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 66, 10 December 1938, Page 11

CRASH OF AIRLINER KYEEMA

Civil Aviation Board Condemned

ERROR OF OBSERVATION

BY PILOT

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. CANBERRA, December 9.

An error of observation by the pilot, Captain Webb, is held by the Air Accidents Investigation Committee to have caused the wreck of the airliner Kyeena, with a loss of 18 lives, on October 25. 7he committee says, however, that the error by the pilot would not have been made if the ultra-high-frequency beacon, which was approved in March, 1937, had been operating on the day of the disaster.

The committee finds that the provision of adequate safety machinery was the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Board, and' strongly condemns the board on this and other grounds.

The committee finds that, the chief failure of the Civil Aviation Board was due to the fact that, the Controller-General, Captain E. C. Johnstone, deliberately and persistently set his face against decentralization of the board.

The report states: "The board is so constituted, either as to personnel or method of conducting its business, as to be incapable of any decisive action.” The delay of a year in arranging beacon tests was due to the Civil Air Board and to the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr. Thorby, each of whom was responsible for a hold-up of six months.

The report, recommends review of the Civil Aviation administration and personnel, the enforcement of safety provisions, the quick installation of radio beacons, and tlie appointment of fight-checking officers.