R101 FINDING

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1931, Page 3

RlOl FINDING

-I •. | m> >. ;■ - T ? CAUSE OF DISASTER. | United Press Assoqiation,—By Electric , Telegraph.—Copyright.] LONDON, March 17. "The airship lUOI met disaster owing to its fabric being torn in a storm,” states' the "Daily Herald” in an exdelusive revelation of the conclusions of the Court of Inquiry, whose report is in the printer’s hands, and will be published within - a few, weeks. Will .exonerate Lord Thonison’.and the Air Ministry from Warpe, ,and will show that {Plight Lieut. Irwin, the Captain of the airship did- everything in his power to avert.,the disaster. While absolute certainty concerning the cause will never be reached, the disaster. ,is ..attributable to the loss of •gas from the'.front bags, due to the storm and tp a. tear in the upper cover. The Court is believed to be satisfied .that there was no defect in struc- !; ture. It is likely to state that there was. a lack of adequate preliminary | tests,, but that the flight itself to India was meant as a test under tropic- , al been vindicated on the ground that ho managed, to, right the ship after the iteep, v .dlve v . and , when he found the crqft-' going into. .the second dive he . .did his utmost to avert. the disaster . by shutting off each engine separatately.Cv