R. 101 DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1931, Page 6

R. 101 DISASTER

FINDING OF INQUIRY. LOSS- OF GAS BLAMED. RUGBY, .March 31. The report of the Court of Inquiry into the loss ol the R. 101 is devoted entirely to the course and cause of the specific event. The Court started with a, series oi definitely ascertained facts, which the inquiry established. First: Among the explanations definitely rejected is any idea that the .vessel, from internal weakness, broke up in tin l air. Secondly: The exphninl'on set aside ,in,\ failure of control. Thirdly: The Court, reached the conclusion that the accident lOidd m i to explained solely ->y rel i.cc to Hie abnormal weather conditions, although

to weather was a predisposing cause

Fourthly: There was no reason to attribute the accident to any failure or incompetence of the officers’ crew, hut in view of the change of the watch and the prevailing weather it may well have been impossible to bring the ship rapidly hack to the horizontal if the nose wai forced d.;.vi: in the way suggested. Fifthly: The longitudinal gasbag movement was so limited in extent that by itself it was quite insufficient to account for the serious loss of control even in tempestuous conditions. Experts believe that the explantion of the disaster must he associated with the substantial loss of gas. The report discusses whether the loss was general throughout the length of the ship, or chiefly concentrated in the lore part, Was the loss gradual or due to a Middei. catiistophe, which would empty the forward gasbags immediately before the dive, or explained by natural loss spread over a considerable interval, culminating in further catastrophic less'

After exiimining the reports of the experts, the Court, reaches conclusions I that there were three phases in the J initial movement, of the R.lOl. In the I first she drops her nose and descends I at a noticeable steep angle for half-a- ---| minute before she was brought hack i approximately to a horizontal, position. ; The second phase then begins and continues for a short time, during which, in spite of her utmost, efforts. : she does not sneered in keeping the nose appreciable up. but contilimes ! horizontal, until she suddenly plunge's The third phase was when she dived again and strikes the ground almost at j once, at an angle of tit least of) | degrees.” Concluding an examination of the possible causes of these successive movements, flic report proceeds: J “How the vessel lost gas ea.n never he definitely ascertained. The weather was exceptionally bail, and the goslings were bard up against padded projections, sonic of which may have liegun to wear the fabric. The bumping and pitching of the ship would intensify the strain, and earlier flights bad indicated the possibility of weakness, but it is very probable that the more serious and sudden loss of gas which followed, was connected with the specific cause, such as the slipping of the forepart envelope. Something of tin’s sort happened on a previous occasion, and no amount of care could secure it would never happen again. If the hip were torn in the forepart envelope, if would tend to develop into a larger tear, which would both chock speed and expose the gasbag to additional strain. This seemed the most probable explanation ol the loss in gas in increasing ipiantily and suddenness.”