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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1179.PDF
JULY I/Tii, 1947 FUGHT Q0^° CIVIL AY Three Accident Reports : M.C.A. Airport Plans ; Drastic Safety Suggestions in U.S.A. SIESTA: A B.O.A.C. Hythe class flying boat at moorings in Augusta harbour. The photograph was taktn from the garden at Airways House. TWO CRASH REPORTS REPORTS from the Chief Inspector of Accidents have beenpublished on those accidents involving a K.L.M. Dakota which crashed in Surrey on November 6th last year: and anAeronca which crashed near Newtownards, Northern Ireland, on March" 2nd, 1947. The' Dakota was on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam toCroydon, and entered the London Control Zone when Q.B.I. conditions were in force. The pilot was flying on the CroydonM/F. beacon and steering by radio compass. One minute after E.T.A., whilst descending, the pilot estimated that he flewover the beacon, but the actual time of passing over the beacon was more likely to be two or three minutesearlier. ; He continued to fly on a westerly course for three or four minutes until receiving instructions that he was nextto land, and that the landing direction was 120 degrees M. The aircraft then began to descend again and after receiving severalQ.D.M.s the pilot turned on to the course for Croydon. At a height- stated by the pilot to be 1,200ft the aircraft waslevelled out and preparations to land were then made. The undercarriage was lowered and almost immediately after, whilststill flying in cloud, the aircraft struck the tops of trees and crashed:" Examination of the records and documents found every-thing to be in order. The altimeters were sent for pressure testing and detailed strip examination, from which there wasno evidence to show that either the pilot's or the navigator's instrument was not operating correctly up to the time of the TAKtNG OVER: Lord Knollys, on the left, shaking hands with Sir Harold Hartley when the latter took over chairmanship of B.O.A.C. on July 1st. Lord Knollys has resigned in order to resume his activities in the insurance world. crash. Further enquiries showed that whereas the pilot statedthat he intended to set his altimeter to read zero on landing at Croydon he did in fact set it to the sea level pressure insteadof airfield pressure. In consequence, the aircraft's height above Croydon airport would be about 230ft lower than thatindicated by the altimeter. The conclusions of the Inspector were that a descent was made over high ground and in moreadverse weather conditions than those at Croydon, arid the aircraft struck the ground at a place 637ft above sea level. TheInspector considered that the pilot was mistaken in the belief that he stopped descending at 1,200ft. He knew the cloudbase to be 1,oooft at Croydon and it was reasonable to assume that having made, all preparations to land he continued 1odescend in order to get below the cloud. In the opinion of the Inspector the accident was the result of flying into high groundwhich may be attributed to errors on the part of the pilot. The Aeronca Accident The Aeronca was the property of Mr. W. S. S. Henry, thepilot, who was killed in the crash. Eye-witnesses on the shore of Strangford Lough saw the aircraft just before thecrash make two gentle dives from about 200ft over themselves and over a rowing boat about 100 yards off the shore. Oneach occasion the aircraft descended to about 20 to 30ft and then climbed away. It next approached an anchored motorboat and dived in a similar fashion but afterwards went into a steep climb from which it stalled and crashed into the lake.Examination of the wreckage failed to reveal any defect which could not be attributed to impact, and there was no evidenceto substantiate a statement that the engine had cut out. In the opinion of the Inspector the accident was the result of thepilot losing control following a stall at low altitude from .which he was unable to recover. LThere seems to be little doubt that the pilot was indulgingin a little " shooting-up " and overdid the subsequent climb. —ED.]. BO.AC. MEDICAL SERVICET HE B.O.A.C. medical organization is under the directionof A.V-M. Sir William Tyrell and consists of ten full- time medical officers, eighteen nursing sisters and thirty-onemedical orderlies. Medical superintendents have been appointed to the Eastern Division and to the Middle East and AfricanDivisions and medical officers to London, Bristol, Aldermaston and Cairo. By periodical inspections at all the bases, airportsand staging posts on the»routes in their Divisions, the medical superintendents are able to supervise aircrew health undervarying climatic conditions and organize medical facilities in flight and on the ground. The medical service is considered by the Corporation to beessential for safe and efficient operation, and among its varied activities are the practice of the new science of aviation medi-cine, the study of the medical aspects of aircraft design and construction with a view to increasing the safety atid comfortof passengers and aircrew, research 011 aircrew fatigue and on various physiological and psychological questions associatedwith flying and inspection. The clinical section of the service is in charge of Air Cdre.
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