Imperial Valley press., 1930-01-21
DISASTER
VERDICT
AWAITED
Believe Inquiry Board
Will Blame Weather As
Cause OF Crash.
WILL BE THOROUGH
Maddux Officials Assert
They Have No Desire To
Conceal Evidence.

GLENDALE, Calf, Jan. 21U.D
A binding fog and rain storm,
which prevented the pilot from see
ing more than a few feet ahead,
probably will be blamed officially
for the airplane crash in which Is
persons were killed Sunday night, it
was indicated today as the r. A. t..
Maddux board of inquiry closed its
public hearing.
Blinded by the rain and fog, Basil
Russell, the pilot, missed clearing
the ground by only a few inches as
he sought to turn back to San Diego,
witnesses testified.
The probable finding of the board
of inquiry was reflected in the vers-
ions of the accident told by s. d.
Welch, member of the board, and
Felix Preeg, flight superintendent.
Both said that Pilot Russell ap-
parently was turning back toward
San Diego and that he suddenly lost
altitude in the squall and that the
left wing of the plane hooked into
the ground as he banked Then the
plane bounced about 10 feet and
nosed into the ground.
Both said that the propellors,
twisted like corkscrews, indicated
that all engines were functioniny
and that the plane was moving at
speed of about 100 miles an hour.
| GLENDALE, Calf, Jan. 81. CUP,
A board Of veteran army pilots
met here today in an effort 10 de-
termine just what misfortune caused
giant T. A. T.-Maddux passenger
plane to crash Sunday night with a
loss of Is lives.
They had visited the scene of the
catastrophe, a narrow strip of land
between the highway and the Pa
cific ocean, or the air route between
Aqua Caliente, Mex, and Los An
| geles.
Already they were inclined to be-
lieve that sudden squat, coming
N from the sea, was the cause of
the tragedy, but they wanted to hear
the versions of witnesses.
The board was composed of Lieut..
| ID. W. Tomlinson, vice.president of
the Il. A. T.-Maddux line, in charge
of operations; +. II. Whitney and
| Eddie Belande, two of the COM
pdny's Oldest pilots, and S. d. Welsh,
advisor ON operations to j. l.. Mad
! dux
1--WE want to find out Just what
| happened, if we cam,' Tomlinson
said. "We have nothing to conceal.
This was just an unfortunate incl
lent such as might happen in any
line of commercial transportation. "
Tomlinson's expressed opinio
that Pilot Basil Russell, who per-
shed in his burning ship, was over
taken by squall and attempted to
turn back south toward San Diego
was echoed in an official announce
ment by the air line last night.
TomlinsOn believed Russell did not
know he was so close to earth and,
in turning, hooked. the left wing of
The plane on the ground.
The hearing was open. Everyone
was invited to hear the eyewitness
es describe what occurred and news
papermen were requested to attend
Col. Charles "A. Lindbergh and
Tomlinson, together with other tech
meal advisors, conferred with the
Officers and the board of directors
of the merged air lines last night.
The following statement, maintain
ing that there was no advance midi.
cations of the squat, was issued;
Weather Was Good
Weather reports at 1 p. n. and
3 p M, and even at $50 p. m, after
| the plane had taken off, do not in
dictate dangerous flying conditions.
At no time do the weather reports
show ceiling of less than | 200 feet
or visibility less than six miles.
1.-THE plaue was regularly dis
! patched from the Aqua Caliente air
port after Russell had conferred with
Pilot Reed regarding weather con
ditions between Aqua Caliente and
Glendale. Pilot Reed departed from
Glendale at $3.50 p. m, and arrived
at Aqua Caliente at j:l5 p. m Tx
plicit written orders require that
the southbound pilot confer with
the northbound pilot before the
northbound plane is dispatched.
These orders were carried out.
''From Investigation of the wreck
age and conversation with witnesses
it further appears that after pass
ing Oceanside, Russell encountered
a local storm condition existing be.
tween Oceanside and San Clemente.
"This particula storr up.
preached from the ocean, very rap
idly. Apparently it closed in without
warning and forced Russell 10 turn
back. Due to the mountain range at
his right he was forced to turn left