Evening star., 1922-07-26

IEXP6RlS.D|StGREE*
! OVER ROMA Crash
italians and Americans As
4 sign Different Causes tor
I I DirigibIe Wreck. :.
,PUBLISH B0fH~REPORS
Il -
~
jU. S. Probers Think Flattening OF
PUBLISH B0TH-REP0RTs
U. S. Probers Think Flattening OF
3 Nose Cap Induced Buckling OF
Airship's Keel Frames.

N American and Italian technical ex-
..nerts are in disagreement as to the
bm'ost probable cause of the wreck
isf the semi-rigid Italian-buiit Army
hdirigible Roma. February Il iast'
in ear Norfolk. Va, with the loss or
lShirty- four lives. The final report OF
bthe investigating board. embedying
Iishe Italian as we'll as the American
IisoncIusions. was made public today
t,Mith an accompanying statement
Ikrom secretaIy..-. Weeks; declaring
Eshere was no controversy between
lih ME rica authorities: in
olEed, -.
II TIE report stresses the statement
IA hat all of the facts of the disaster
,,ran never be known. Those who
Knight have known what. sent the
iiship plunging to earth .in swiit
hnose dive. to be- destroyed by hre on
Afhe ground. persisted in the wreck
,ihave told the story was consumed IN
Nhhe flames
n AT the very best" says the report
GSf the board headed by Mai Daven-
.iport johnson. air service. which gath
Eired and fled the. EVIDENCE, I'VE can
lho no more than determine which of
i.1he possibln- CAUSES wer-n etis most
Gprobable.
II American Theory. =.
ii Briefly stated, the American ex-
,;Serts reached the conclusion that
Hfattening of the upper surface of the
metal nose cap on the bow OF the
Isreat gas bag caused downward
hpressure as the ship drove along at
,;probably sixty miles an hour, the
,Aown thrust was resisted by the stern
atabilizers and stresses developed
(Which the evidence OF one witness in
idicates caused 'hpckling of the keel
,.frames putting the ruddeC controls
;hut of commission and leaving the
huge air craft to plunge downward
with her crew helpless to check the
dive.
4 The Italian experts disagree with
this view. They believe that the re-
'ealling rudders." Contemplating the
movement of the 'up-down" rudder
control. probably overstressed'' and
broke: this was followed by the rrp-
'fure of the rudder control cables.
jThis, they contend. left the uptown
frudders free to assume the natural
attack of not less than degnees to
ithe elevators. as has been recently
proven by tests in Italy" =. -
" This caused an immediate upward
motion of the rear part of the Roma
THE Italian conclusion continues, "and
her consequent dive to the ground"
y The air service report draws from
the disaster certain definite lessons.
lit holds that in future such Airships
Jas the Roma should be Inflated only
with non-exploslve helium gas. that
.fprovision should be made so that the
"A cnnlh a
.,any part of the, ships ballast in
.istantly; so that he also :conld drop all
gasoline fuel tanks III the seme way
.sand so that he could cut OFF all mo-
ttors instantly with a central master
switch.
HI No 'Bnltn.t: Dropped:
\ The board fougd thaha 20. ballast had
Sheen dropped before The Roma struck
earth; that two OF her six liberty mo-
.nors We're still running. pulling her
,iearthward. and that the saSbliue fu o.
as we'll as the hydrogen in the great
bag was responsible for the terrific
fire that followed the. era sh. e.
r Undoubtedly" the report says. "the
f1oss of life in this accident would not
i,have been so great if the supporting
,nedium in this -enyelope had been Ii
!. nc n mia mmabie, explosive gas
.'such as helium. l.,
= In addition ;to the safety measures
Indicated above this accident shows
trlearly that in all such large airships.
Sht least whenever possible. helium
SHOULD be used in place of hydrogen"
II The investigation disclosed that on
isihe hight that ended in the disaster
athere had been trouble. with the air
i.Scoops which We're used to fill the
sGhallOonet ir the forward gas com
apartment to take up any contraction
trof the hydrogen and resulting fatten-
;,tng of the surface of the envelope.
.9.ow pressure in the Gnmpar tment had
sbeen noted and when the scoops were
,,pried they failed to operate, or to
'hnperate properly, the report says.
HSurvivors testified. that this .trouble
.itNas believed to have. been remed ed.
,:sThe point is .ippor1apt.. as the bag
!lttself. properly Initiate supported the
Nh m b hrella lika nnSe can of metal