All Killed by Lightning

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 304, 28 December 1934, Page 7

All Killed by Lightning

Occupants of 111-fated Dutch Air-liner WHAT AN EXAMINATION REVEALED United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Thursday, 8.45 p.m. THE HAGUE, Dec. 27. A medical examination reveals that the occupants of tho Douglas air-liner which crashed in Mesopotamia were ail killed by lightning for the first time in the history of aeroplanes, although airship disasters have been attributed thereto. The inquiry shows that the "Hying hotel” crashed out of control, indicating that the pilots wero killed instantaneously in the air. Indications in Wreck LONDON, Dec. 27. T|hc Times’ Hague correspondent says that the K.L.M. commission’s preliminary report from B'agdad states that the wrecked Douglas air-liner was found in a flying condition, the retractable landing gear withdrawn, tho landing wings in flying position, the engines on normal gas and ignition, the landing lights not switched on, and the wireless aerial taken in, which would be normal when flying in a thunderstorm, but at the spot where a small fixed aerial touched the baggage hold, the fuselage was severely burned. Thus lightning apparently struck this aerial. Tho K.L.M. states that the pilots were not blameable for flying at night, as the weather reports were not unfavourable when they left Cairo, except for indications of a small local thunderstorm in the Syrian Desert. Waller Maintains Fast Speed RETURN FLIGHT FROM AFRICA Received Thursday, 9.45 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 27. A message from Niamey (French West Africa) reports that Waller arrived after averaging 195 miles an hour from Leopoldville (Belgian Congo), despite slight trouble with his port engine, which he righted. He has resumed his journey. World Flying Record SPEED FOR LAND AEROPLANES PARIS, Dec. 27. An examination of the instruments after a flight on Christmas Day' revealed that Raymond Delmotte, during a test flight in a Caudron monoplane, attained a speed of 314.3 miles an hour for three miles, beating James Weddel’s world record of 306.25 for a land aeroplane.