AERIAL TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1930, Page 5

AERIAL TRAGEDY

QUESTION IN COMMONS.

[OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, July 22.

The air disaster which occurred yesterday at Moepham, Kent, when six persons were killed, was the subject of a question in Parliament to-day. The Under-Secretary for Air, Mr F. Montague, was asked to state what control the Air Ministry exercised over passenger-carrying v aircraft; whether such machines were subjected to periodical inspection; how often such, inspections were made; and if he was satisfied that regulations were carried out in such a manner as to reduce accidents to a minimum. Mr Montague, in reply, said that 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 passen-ger-carrying aircraft. Briefly the Air Ministry required such aircraft to be inspected within 24 hours of each fight, the inspection being undertaken by a competent ground engineer, who was required to provide a certificate in writing. The inspection covered not only the machine, but also the eng.mo or engines. The person in charge of the aircraft had to satisfy himself that the various requirements had been met. Whilst he was not in the ?osi?‘on to make any definite stat,-:-ir.ent in regard to the machine that crashed until the investigation of the Air Ministry into the accident was complete, he was in general satisfied that the regulations were most strictly applied and that, everything possible was done by those responsible foi- the air service to reduce the risk of accident to the minimum. He took the opportunity, on behalf of the Air Minister, Lord Thomson, and himself, of conveying to the relatives of those who had lost their lives an expression of profound sympathy in their bereavement; and he was sure the House would wish to be associated with it.

THEORIES OF CAUSE.

LONDON, July 23

Experts continue to discuss the Gravesend aerial disaster. They suggest that the engine may have slewed round, through some failure in its fixing, with the result that the propeller, iota ting at a terrific speed, struck the wing, and caused it to break off. Another expert is of the opinion that Henderson, on coming out of the clouds, in a fairly steep glide, was unable to check his glide, and the plane got into a wing flutter, the overstrain causing the wing to collapse. There are no signs of an explosion. The German designer of the plane is flying to England to investigate the mystery.

Lord Ednam, who is suffering from ptomaine poisoning, . has left Le Touquet for England with Lady Dudley.

INQUEST OPENED.

LONDON, July 23

The flower-covered coffins of the victims lay in a hut behind the tiny village tea. room, where the inquest opened on the Meopham air crash. There were affecting scenes as the bodies were identified.

A gardener described how one body fell in an orchard, and rebounded nine yards to where he was standing. The inquest was adjourned till August 13 to enable the Air Ministry to complete investigations. ANOTHER SEARCH EOR HOOK. (Recd. July 24, 11 a.m.) RANGOON, July 23. An unofficial expedition party, organised by the “Rangoon Gazette,” substantially financed by the London “Daily Mail,’’ has begun a search for tile aviator Hook. . KILLED BY PROPELLOR. LONDON. July 22. The mechanic of the German aeroplane piloted by Von Gertzen in the Circuit-of-Europo race-, was climbing out of the aeroplane to rush to the control shed at Heston to-day, when lie was struck, bv the propeller and killed. PIONEER’S DEATH. NEW YORK, July 23. Ai. Buffalo. Glenn H. Curtiss, aviation pioneer, has died, following a recent, operation for appendicitis.