New-York tribune., 1922-02-22
Describe Horror Death Plunge of Giant Burning Arhi

! men and photographers, was dispatched
to Norfolk during the late afternoon
he first story from survivor Of tn,
accident was telephoned to the Bureal
Of Naval Aviation this afternoon b,
Captain Doyle, OF the Hampton Road
station.
II talked with one Of the survivors
who, | believe, Was q captain" Captain
Doyle reported to tho Navy Depart
rnent. He mad no knowledge Of how
he got out of the burning ship. He
said they we're something like 200 feet
soft when trouble was noticed in thc
vertical control. The nose Of the ship
was settling and the crew tried to raise
1t without success. 1t was tho off Gers
belief that the elevatirg planes 0f yer
tIcal control had bcer carried away
He said the ship could not be righted
and the crew started to throw out bal
last.
Trouble Mt 200 Feet
ale knew they were about 200 fee;
in the air when the trouble Was noticed
as they we're just above the big smoke
stack at the army base. He said the
nose Of ihe ship kept going down and
down, with tho crew unable to clear
the high tension wire, carrying the cur
rent for the army supply base. This se'
fire TO the ship and she landed with her
keel parts up and the gas bag beneath
in flames"
Captain Doyle also reported that the
survivors and the dead we're being ia
ken TO the Norfolk Public Health Hos
pital He said that the bodies which
almost unrecognizabIe Nothing was
left of the giant arship except the
frame work
Negotiations for the Roma purcha &c
b.. the United States began in June,
1920, and were completed early n 1921.
She arrived in tn. United States in
August. 1921, and vas assembled and
made her first fight in this country in
November Her first Official fight was
made on December 21, 1921, when she
flew from Langley Field to Washing
ton, to be christened.
Included in the crew which went 10
Italy to accompany the huge arship to
this country were six officers who were
among the crew on the fatal fight to-
day. They are Major John J. ThorneH.
Marion j. Beall, who are among the
missing, and Captain Walter J Reed,
Sergeant Harry A Chapman and
Sergeant j. NJ. Biedenbach, who were
among the survivors.
Weeks Plans Inquiry
The commissioned crew Of the Roma
on her official fight to Washington last
year included Major Thornol, Captain
Mabry, Captain Reed and Lieutenant
Byron 7. Burt, all Of whom were
aboard the craft in sto-days accident.
AS IN all aviation disasters. Secre-
tary Of War Weeks will direct that q
thorough investigation be made Of %
days accident Major General Patrick.
chief of the Air Service, is expected TO
convene an investigating committee
from the AIR Service personnel At
langley Field to ascertain, # possible.
he cause Of the accident
In expressing regret over the catas-
.rophe to-day Secretary of the Nav
Denby said it is not likely that the
accident will interfere with the com
'letion Of the may dirigible FRI.
which is under construction az Phila-
ielphls. This ship is Of similar type
o the IRE which buckled and fell
nto the river Humber while flying over
Hull, England, before il was delivered
o the American navy by the British
&lr Ministry last August with heavy
oss of American and British naval
personnel
Airships of the rigid and se.ni-rigId
ype, unless inflated with helium. the
svys non-infiammable gas. which is
ot available in sufficient 0uar4itias for