BOARD CENSURED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19808, 9 December 1938, Page 6

BOARD CENSURED

TRAGIC AIR CRASH INQUIRY IN AUSTRALIA DELAYS WITH BEACONS ERROR OF OBSERVATION (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Decfl 9. 2 p.m.) CANBERRA, Dec. 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 air liner Kyeema with the loss of 18 lives near Melbourne on October 25. The commitee say. however, that the error by the pilot would not have been made if the ultra-high frequency Reason, which was approved in March of 19.37, had been in operation 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 Con-troller-General, Captain Johnston, deliberately and persistently set his face against the decentralisation of the board.

The report states: "The board is so cons.ituled, either as to personnel or the method of conducting its business as to be incapable of any deciswc action.” One year’s delay in arranging the beacon tests was due to the Civil Air Board and the Minister of Defence, Mr. H. V. C. Thorby, who were each responsible for a hold up of six months.

The report recommends a review ol the civil aviation administration, the quick installation of radio beacons and the appointment 'of flight checking officers.