Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1922-08-25
"The Brattleboro Disaster
Springfield Paper Comments on
Aviation Accident

Deep sympathy will be felt with Brat
tleboro over the disaster which on Fri
day blighted the dedication of the new
flying field. The accident under any cir
cumstances would have been a terrible
shock the blow is all the scverer because
of the great expectations which had been
aroused. One purpose of the elaborate
exhibition which was being given was to
demonstrate the safety of aviation and
thus to increase public interest in it.
From this point of view the tragic out
come must to some extent neutralize the
splendid efforts which have been made
by Governor Hartness, Fred III. Harris
of BrattebOro and others to interest the
public and to promote aviation in Yer
mont.
Nor can it be said that the accident
was due to negligence, Incompetence or
any single cause the elimination of which
would promise entire safety in the flu
ture. Pilot Hughes is veteran who
flew in France, and this was his first
accident since he engaged in civil avia-
ton. The plane had broken a strut in
landing the day before, but the broken
part had been replaced, and there has
been no suggestion that the machine was
not sound and in good running order;
the company which made and operated it
has carried $4,000 passengers with no
not ideal, yet the aviators complained
only of certain 'bumpiness" if avia-
ton were under rigid, government inspec-
ton, such as is sometimes urged for the
prevention of accidents, it is doubtful
whether flying would have been prohib-
tied, though cautionary flags would GER
tainly have been hoisted if there were
such service for aviators as the weather
bureau gives to mariners.
The accident, SO far as sthe available
facts show, was due to a combination of
causes, none of which perhaps can be
entirely eliminated, yet all of which de-
serve consideration. First of all there
is the live wire into which the machine
was thrown when wing-tp brushed a
tree quite possibly but for this there
would have been no loss of life. This,
taken with the shocking disaster to the
Roma from a similar cause, shows that
CATION of the air. Until they are all put
underground this danger must remain,
but so far as possible flying fields should
be located where the air is free from such
distractions.
1t may be said also, without criticism
of the man whose fine public spirit made
the Brattleboro flying field possible, that
the location and laying out of the
grounds left a somewhat inadequate mar
gin of safety in taking off and alighting
Hughes was a skilled veteran, but if
aviation is to flourish provision must be
made for novices, with leeway for floun-
derng a little if the take-off is not quite
lucky. 1t is said hummock in the
field, on which the machine had bumped
the day before and which had made trou-
BILE since so angcred the pilot that on the
fatal fight he took off in the opposite di
rection, and getting into an air pocket
over the river failed, in spite of dextrous
to rise rapidly enough to
clear the trees.
No one of these contributory causes
might in itself have caused an accident.
and none of them need be stressed. If
there is moral to be drawn it is that
me me working efficiency of gravitation is
100 per cent, and that only by incessant
vigilance at every point can reasonable
safety be secured. At best an aviator
VIII have to make some emergency land
ing with certain risk there is the more
reason for giving him plenty of elbow
room on the flying field, with no risk OF
running into trees or wires before getting
his height.
What the government can do to pro-
mote safety is still an open question. In
spection of machines has been proposed.
but inspection has to be made before
each flight, and the pilot and his
mechanician are the best inspectors
The question of weather is difficult. be-
cause perfect days are few and at other
times opinions differ in regard to safety.
1t is not to be expected that aviators will
wait for perfect day, but there must be
many days on which the public should
be warned of the risk. Possibly in COM
mercial flying there may be temptation
to carry passengers in dangerously fluky
weather. but this element had no place
IN the BrattleborO tragedy. There is no
getting away from the fact that flying is
still risk; such accidents must be taken
as casualties in the struggle for the con-
quest of the air and all that can be done
is to try to learn their lessons and thus
by degrees to reduce the loss of life. 1t
may be hoped that Brattleboro and Yer
mont will not be discouraged by this
stunning misfortune.-Springfeld Repub-
lican.