The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-23
CONTINUE HEARING ON DESTRUCTION
 OF AIRSH|P ROMA
Head of Air Service Thinks Catastrophe Resulted From Accident to Altitude
 Control
By Associated rresa

Norfolk. February 22.-A statement by Maj. Gen. Mason M. Patrick, head of the army air service, that he be- iieved the destruction of the airship was due to an accident to the con trol regulating the altitude of the craft stood out tonight as the only official statement from any of those investigating the accident which yes terday caused the death of 34 per sons the injury of eight others and tke demolition of the worlds largest semi-rigid aircraft.
 Meanwhile the army board of in- vestigators, called into session today, continued it's hearings tonight be- hind closed doors.
 General Patricks expressed opin- ion on the basis of testimony he had heard thus far and substantiated statements previously made unoffi- cially by survivors of the wreck that the eleyating rudder, a contrivance resembling the wings of a airplane and attached to the stern of the
  Roma, buckled and fell forward. forc- ing the craft into nose dive.
 No Fire In Air
 General Patrick declared that there was no explosion or fire while the Roma was still in the air. The fire and resultant explosion, he said, were caused by the high voltage wires upon which the airship struck when It plunged to earth.
 The board of investigation is made up of Maj. D. Johnson, who is pre- siding at the sessions, Maj. J, H. Jouett and Maj. J. McNurney of Lang ley field. The board interviewed all survivors of the accident.
 The atmosphere about the army base today was full of conjecture as to the cause of the Roma's fall. Spec ulation ranged from the suggestion that the fabric of the ship may have been routed to the charge that the liberty motors recently installed had proved too powerful for supporting equipment. But the majority opinion expressed was that something hap pened to the elevating rudder while the ship was several hundred feet in the air throwing the stern of the craft upward and heading her full speed obliquely towards the earth.
 Survivors seemed unanimous in the decision that there was no explosion until the ship hit the ground, not withstanding statements by eyewit nesses that they saw a flame shoot ing from cabin window amidships before the crash.
 Only Tangled Mass Left
 Only tangled mass of what was once the steel framework of the ,f E.o ,,t- fl-a mained tonight to mark the spot at the Roma fell Meanwhile at New port News, where the dead were taken relatives and friends arrived to Identify the bodies and make ar engagements for having them removed to their homes for burial.
 It was reiterated by army officers today that there was no explosion or fire while the Roma was in the air. General Patrick, who came here by airplane from Washington imme- diately upon being advised of the ac- cident, declared that there had been none, that the fire and explosion had been caused by the high tension cleo tric wires which the Roma struck when 1t plunged to earth.
 Army officers also emphasized that  the fire did not occur until the ship struck the electric wires.
 Just how long the official investi- gation will require was not indicated tonight, although every effort was made to complete it as quickly as was consistent with thorough probe of the entire situation.
 Last of Dead Removed
 The last of the dead from the Roma was removed early today and soldiers began work of clearing the wreckage, only a warped skeleton of steel work, rearing high in the air, remaining on the ground tonight. A tiny morgue in Newport News housed the dead, 30 of whom were identified. None was allowed to see them except for pur- poses of Identification, but wives, mothers and sweethearts gathered about and a morbidly curious crowd was in evidence all day. The bodies were badly burned and Identification in many cases was by watches or pieces of jewelry recovered with them. The body of Capt. Dale Mabry, com mander of the Roma was the last Identified. and his brother, Dr. J. H. Mabry of Newport News, was the first relative of any of the dead who was allowed to enter the morgue.