Evening star., 1934-07-29

MAI. w. Z. KEPNER.
hit areas of cold air that bounce us
back up"
What is your rate of descent right
now?"
"It averages about 500 feet minute.
Occasionally it goes faster and occa-
sionally it stops the descent altogether
and goes back up in the air a little
piece. It is a very discouraging sort
Of business"
How much is the bag filed out?"
"Well, yes. Not half of it. At
present it is probably not quite half
full. There is so much Of this fabric.
1t is partly torn and coming down 1t
acts as a parachute and then it lets
go and occasionally it tears an extra
chunk out and the thing is getting to
look pretty much like a huge sieve
on the underneath side. One hole is
probably so feet long and a yard
wide"
Asked About Cause.
"You have no idea what caused
this, whether it was due to expansion
or whipping of the fabric?"
"WeIl, no, I don't know. This bal
loon was going up very slowly at the
time that this happened, and it didn't
make any particular noise. We just
happened to hear something fall on
top of the gondola and looked out and
saw big hole there"
Gen. Westover apologized for asking
so many questions and said he would
sign of unless Kepner had more to
report. The latter replied:
I'VE are going to go ahead and
do the best we can, and when there
is nothing else to do we will do the
best thing to be done under such cir
cumstances. /"
"I know you are going to do that, "
Westover declared. land We are pull
ing for you for happy, safe land
ing, old man"
"If they give us a break for a few
minutes longer, we will be all right, "
Kepner responded.
Gradually Sinks,
The balloon, during the next hour,
made sporadic reports of lower and
lower attitudes, until at SOC Stevens
announced that the 24,000-foot level
had been reached.
About this time a ground opera
tor informed Kepner that the bal
looms ground crew was ready for the
landing.
IAN right" the major stated. 1--WE
have made up our minds that we will
do the best we can with you. 1t is
pretty bad up here now and I don't
know what 1 am going to do about
it. Thank you just the same"
A minute later Chicago tried to
get Kepner back on the air, but
despite repeated calls there was no
reply. New York broke in with the
admonition to leave them alone for
a while-they have got problem on
their hands"
About Sis Kepner's voice was heard
again, calling for Gen. WeStover.
The general answered and Kepner
said:
Badly Torn Up.
Hello. general. We are going to re-
lieve your mind. We are down To
where We have to open up, to l3,O0O
feet. and we fare settling. The bag
is pretty badly torn up, with large
corners open in the bottom and there
has been a good deal of soaking in
Of the air and the gas is very rotten.
1 don't know-Im going to try to
clear things out by throwing out all
ballast"
How much ballast have you left?"
About 5000 pounds. We have
plenty of ballast if the gas isn't so
rotten that 1t won't respond. You
know how those bags are when they
get flown two or three days, and !
imagine this one with the air churned
up through those big holes so feet
long is pretty rotten"
Gen. Westover asked If he meant
the fabric was rotten.
The gas is rotten" Kepner replied
THE gas is contaminated by two or
three holes about so feet across in
the bottom of the balloon. that opened
OIL the way down. Undoubtedly there
has been a good deal of stirring up
in there and I don't know whether
We are going to try to land it or not.
/ am sure we will try and see how
it acts statically. 1t is settling now
at about 500 feet a minute"
Happy Landing"
What is your altitude now?"
"It is l1,000."
We are all pulling for you, old man
Take any emergency measure neces-
sary."
7 will get back 10 work here,
Kepner rejoined.
"Okay," westover said. Happy
landing, and good luck to you, old
man"
Almost Immediately after this con-
verSation had been concluded, the
radio engineers announced they had
lost contact with the balloon. Just
before this announcement, Mai. KEEP
ner was heard TO say somewhat in
distinctly:
she is falling"
Apparently Kepner wanted to say
something else, but his words wert
cut of by failure Of the radio.
This happened about $40 pm
During the next is minutes the radio
men could be heard making desperate
efforts TO pick up the balloon again
The designated air band was searched
by the high-powered sets ON the
ground. but contact could not b