The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-08-25
BREAK IN GIRDER IS
BELIEVED CAUSE OF
THE Z-2 DISASTER
EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BREAK;
LIEUTENANT WANN TELLS OF
TRAGEDY; GALL HAPPENED IN
FIVE SECONDS"

Howden, England, Aug. 25.-The
cause Of the disaster to the ZR-2 ac-
cording to the best information OBJ
tainable here, the base of the destroyed
dirigible, was the breaking of a longi-
tudlral girders amidship, made Of an
aluminium alloy, cutting the airship in
halves. An explosion of either hydro.
gen or petrol occurred Immediately
after the girders gave way and flames
burst through the structure, but the
| explosion, it is declared, was not the
cause OF the breaking up of the air.
ship.
The break occurred in the part OF
the airship whore a girder was strain
ed when she was brought to Howden.
The girder had been reinforced, howev-
er, and the ship found to be perfectly
air worthy. it was said.
None of the authorities here would
venture any opinion regarding the
cause of the break.
] q NAiNihb Nh' aliihfAs NliAAit lA -
assumed, viii be- OF searching char.
acter, attempts to account for the
| tragedy are merely speculative. but it
is recalled that during a nine hour
trial trip on July II, some Of the cir.
ders in the middle of the ZR.9 SHOW.
cd weakness which necessitated rein.
forcemcnt. This work was done i'm
mediately at Howden and exports be.
licved that the weakness In the struc-
ture Of the airship had been remedied.
j. is now regarded significant, however,
that observers below have declared
that there was a buckling amidships
which seemed to precede the explosions
which sent the zR.2 flaming to the
earth.
There has recently been an incina,
tion in some quarters here TO oppose
lighter than air craft as too costly ana
uncertain. but with one exception. the
London newspapers today expressed
confidence that there was great IA.
ture for airships They declared tina,
yesterdays tragic result would not
falt the conduct OF experiments until
the present state is passed. The trf
CT the R-3S across the Atlantic ant
hack and the successful airship scry
ice maintained between German cities
were cited as proofs that dlriglblc'
were OF great utility and had immcns,
possibilities.
From such disasters as this" sale
the London Times. "all human enter
priscs have risen more fully equippc,
FOR success and It will be SO will
the airshlp."
Americans Killed by Explosion
Most of the American members o
the crew % the Inflated diriglblc ZR+
we're killed by the explosion whlci
followed by buckling and swapping o
, girdcrs amidships, declared F1igh
. Lieut. A. T.. Wann. In command of tn
craft ~ navigating officer. at the tim
, OF the disaster. In statement 10 th
! Associated Press today.
Lieutenant Wann said the ship ha,
run beautifully at ~ knots an hour
and that he had rciuccd the speed Il
, 80 knots whcp there came y,olcn
+ cracking sound lie Thought scycra
" the girdcrs broke, The whole thin
, happened Ia i've seconds"
! There was no sign of anyth.n
wrong when We passed over HUI" h
.aid. but everything happened after
ward. ] was IN sole control ut the tim,
"Bcforr The moment OF the accident
e1id Lieutenant Waun. whose injuric
are not serious. the craft had bee
saih X perfectly Shc had bvcn passlu
/, through various difficult tests and "a
} speed had bvrn reduced when sud
denly. while crossing the broad cs,uar
of the Humber heard the grindin
and cracking ,f C,rdcrs and the airshl
lpJchvd forward tom an oven keel
81 As soon as humanity possible.
{, cmpticd the water ballast 10 vnabI
y the craft to resume It's normal pos
!. ton. but at this Instant "a ucmunduu
explosion occurred The Ercat shl
y seemed 10 halt fvr a moment and the
~ IL dropped likc rocket. Tho concuN
y, sion threw me down iu tho navigator
j. car where ! Vas pinned by ihc wrccl
IA age