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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0914.PDF
LIGHT OCTOBER 12, 1912. IKe Roiral &ero Clu , of the United Kir\gdoi OFFICIAL M0TICE5 TO NUMBERS BE Public Safety and Accidents Investigation Committee. Report on the fatal accident to Lieut. E. Hotchkiss and Lieut. C. A. Bettington when flying at Wolvercot, near Oxford, on Tuesday, September 10th, 1912, at about 8.15 a.m. Brief Description of the Accident.—Lieut. E. Hotchkiss, with Lieut. C. A. Bettington as passenger, flying on a Bristol two-seater monoplane fitted with an 80-h.p. Gnome, left Larkhill, Salisbury Plain, at about 7.2 a.m. on September loth, 1912, to go to Hardwick, near Cambridge, in connection with the Army Man oeuvres. When over Port Meadow, Oxford, at a height of about 2,000 ft., the aircraft was observed to be planing down in a normal manner. At a height of about 500 ft., the angle at which it was descending became very steep, and at about 200 ft. the fabric of the right wing appeared to burst and tear away in pieces. The aircraft then fell straight to the ground. The aviator and his passenger were both killed instantaneously. Lieut. E. Hotchkiss was granted his Aviator's Certificate No. 87, on May 16th, 1911, by the Royal Aero Club, and Lieut. C. A. Bettington was granted his Aviator's Certificate No. 256, on July 24th, 1912. by the Royal Aero Club. Report.— The Committee met on Tuesday the 17th, Friday the 20th, Friday, September 27th and Friday, October 4th, 1912, and heard the evidence of eye-witnesses. The representatives of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co. attended and produced plans of the aircraft, and gave evidence on various points raised by the Committee. The Committee examined the two cables and quick release devices, as well as the steel strap of the wrecked aircraft, and has made some experiments with the steel strap. From the consideration of the evidence, the Committee is of opinion that the following facts are clearly established :— (1) That this particular aircraft was built about July 15th, 1912, and had taken part in the Military Aeroplane Competition on Salisbury Plain during the month of August, and had successfully passed all the tests with the exception of getting out of the ploughed field, and had been awarded a prize of .£500. It was subsequently purchased and taken over by the Government. (2) That, at a height of about 200 feet, the right wing of the aircraft failed. » (3) That a steel strap fell from the aircraft while in the air, and was picked up some no yards from the spot where the aircraft struck the ground. The steel strap was picked up within 15 minutes of the accident and was deeply embedded in the ground. A number of pieces of wood, portions of the wing, were picked up at the same time in Port Meadow in the vicinity of the steel strap. (4) That this steel strap had holes for nine wood screws to fix it to one of the lower cross members of fuselage at a point just in front of the passenger. Two brass screws only, one at each extremity, were in place. The two ends of the strap were attached by a quick release device to the two inside cables, running right and left, to attachments on the front spars of the wings. (5) That the thin tubular ferrule, which holds the lever of the quick release device to the cable, was missing from the right wing cable when the aircraft was examined after the accident. This could only have been lost by its fracturing. The ferrule on the left wing cable was found to be cracked, but otherwise undamaged. (6) That the fabric with which the upper side of the right wing was covered, burst in the upward direction. Optnion.—The Committee is of opinion that in the first instance one of the quick release devices opened and the cable became detached from the strap. This threw the whole of the stress on the corresponding cable from the other wing on the attachments of the strap to the fuselage. The quick release which attached the strap to the cable worked loose either shortly before or after the strap came away from the aircraft. The strap consequently fell to the ground. The lower surface of the right wing must have been pierced by a blow or blows from the cable which was hanging loose from the right wing. The bursting of the upper fabric of the right wing could only have taken place after fabric of the lower surface had been rent. Recommendation.—The attention of manufacturers, designers and aviators is specially drawn to this accident and the cause thereof, with a view to care being taken to eliminate risk as far as possible from similar cause in the design of aircraft. If a quick release attachment is to be embodied in the design of an aircraft, the Committee recommend that it should be so contrived that it cannot release itf elf owing to vibration or to alteration in the tension on it. The Committee also draw attention to the possibility of a small initial damage causing total destruction of the wing surface. The Committee further recommend that some experiments should be made on fabrics generally, both before treatment and after treat ment, to determine the effect on their resistance to tearing. The International Aero Exhibition, Paris. In connection with the International Aero Exhibition which takes place in Paris, October 26th-November 10th, 1912, the South- Eastern Railway will issue week-end tickets on October 25th, 31st, and November 8th, available to return up to, and including, Tuesday following the date of issue. The week-end tickets are available on the above dates by the 10 a.m. train from Charing Cross arriving Paris 5.20 p.m., and the 9 p.m. train arriving Paris 5.30 a.m. The return trains from Paris are the 8.25 a.m., 2.30 p.m. and the 9.20 p.m. The Return Fares are ; First Class, £2 \%s. 4d. ; Second Class, £ I 17^. 6d,; and Third Class ^1 10s. International Correspondence Schools. The International Correspondence Schools in 1911, offered a Prize of .£100 to the first of their students to fly one mile. On Friday, the 4th inst., at the London Aerodrome, Hendon, Mr. John Herbert James, a student of the International Correspondence Schools, on a Caudron Biplane, accomplished this flight, and therefore wins the Prize. Mr. Richard T. Gates kindly observed the flight on behalf of the Royal Aero Club. The Prize will be presented to Mr. James at the Royal Aero Club on Tuesday next, the 15th inst., at 5 o'clock, by Sir Charles Rose, Bart., M.P., Chairman of the Club. International Aero Exhibition, Olympia, 1913. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has decided to organise an International Aero Exhibition at Olympia, under the auspices of the Royal Aero Club, in February, 1913. Full details will appear later. Gift to the Library. Mr. Mervyn O'Gorman has kindly presented the Club with a copy of his book " Airships and Aeroplanes." British Empire Michelin Cup No. 1. (Under the Competition Rules of the Royal Aero Club.) The winner of the prize of ^500 for the year 1912 shall be the competitor who, on or before October 31st, 1912, shall have remained the longest time in the air on an aeroplane in one flight without touching the ground. The flights may only be made between the hours of sunrise and one hour after sunset, and in order to qualify for the prize the competitor must make a continuous flight of at least five hours. The entrant, who must be the person operating the machine, must be a British subject, flying on a British-made aeroplane, must hold an Aviator's Certificate, and must be duly entered on the Competitor's Register of the Royal Aero Club. Rules and entry forms can be had on application to the Club. British Empire Michelin Cup No. 2, j£600. (Under the Competition Rules of the Royal Aero Club.) The contest for the current year consists of a cross-country circuit of about 186 miles. Competitors may choose their own course, which must be previously approved by the Club. The competition closes on Tuesday, October 15th, 1912. The following courses may be used for this competition :— Brooklands. Laffans Plain. Hendon. Shoreham. Larkhill. Newhaven. Brooklands. Oxford. Newhaven. Larkhill. Eastchurch. Larkhill. Brooklands. Upavon. Cambridge. Shoreham. Laffans Plain. Hendon. 166, Piccadilly. HAROLD E. PERRIN, Secretary. 914
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