Evening star., 1940-11-03
Probers Say lightning
Probably Caused
Lovettsvi|Ie Crash
Think Flash Blinded
Pilots Before AirIiner
Plunged, Killing IS

Lightning probably disabled the
pilots, thus causing the crash OF
the PENNSYLVANIA Central Airlines
plane in which 25 persons died
near Lovettsville, Va, on August
81, the Civil Aeronautics Board
reported last night.
In the absence of persuasive
evidence indicating any other prob
able cause of the accident" the
board based its findings on testi-
mony that lightning flashed close
to the plane just before it plunged
to the ground.
lightning may have temporarily
blinded the pilots" the board said,
''or the pressure wave resulting
from the lightning may have sub
jected the pilots to acoustical shock
or conclusion; may have smashed
the cockpit windows or may have
caused other damage to the struc-
ture and controls of the airplane
through mechanical effect"
87-Page Report Made.
The boards findings were made
public in an 87-page report on its
investigation of the disaster, in
which the death toll included Sem
ator Lundeen, Farmer-Laborite, of
Minnesota and Is Washington resi-
dents, in addition to members of the
crew.
Nothing within the ordinary
range of experience and no combi-
nation of events of which the oc-
curence could be regarded as at all
likely, would have sufficed to pro-
duce this accident" the board said
IN pointing out that it had ito
look for the extraordinary" in try
ing to determine the cause.
The report summarized all the
known facts about the flight of
"trip 49," which left Washington for
Pittsburgh at 2:21 pm. on August
81 and ended in sudden death at
2:41 pm. when the capacity-loaded
plane dived at 800 miles per hour
into an alfalfa field near Lovetts-
vile.
The board found no deviation
from either Government regulations
or company procedure in the con-
duct of the flight by competent"
crew consisting Of Capt. Lowell "
Scroggins, First Officer j. Paul
Moore, and Flight Hostess Margaret
Carson.
No Evidence of Mechanical Failure.
There was no evidence, the board
said, that the accident was caused
by structural failure of the air.
plane, mechanical failure of its
motors, fire, heavy rainfall, or
sabotage, or that the plane was
actually struck by lightning"
Noting. however, that the air
plane began its descent in the i'm
mediate neighborhood of, and i'm
mediately after. an intense flash of
lightning" the board concluded that
the probable cause" of the crash
was "the disabling of the pilots by
severe lightning discharge in the
immediate neighborhood of the air.
plane. with resulting loss of control >
This conclusion was reached IN
face of the "fact that all-metal air.
craft are commonly struck by light
ming with no injurious results and
that the character of the lightning
discharge, as we'll as its effect on
the airplane and crew, in the pre-
sent instance must be regarded as
extremely unusual occurrence" the
board asserted.
The report included recommended
tions for continued research on the
possible effects of lightning on air
craft, intensification of research on
atmospheric turbulence, develop
ment of system for compilation Of
pilot experiences with unusual at
mospheric conditions, and i'm
mediate reporting of unprotected
weather conditions encountered in
flight.
Uncertainty of Cause Emphasized.
In connection with the Lovetts-
vile accident, the board found that
the weather forecast August 81 con-
tanned nothing to raise any question
about regular air line operation
and proved to have been substan-
TALLY accurate except for the omis-
sion of any reference to extraor-
dinarily heavy rainfall"
lis report emphasized the impos-
sibility of determining the cause OF
the crash with certainty. Prob
ability flows from evidence which
inclines the mind to a conclusion
but leaves room for doubt" 1t said.
THE board in the present case is
faced with just such evidence, evi-
dence which suggests events but
offers no basis for certainty with
respect to them"
Convinced that something hap
pened to cause the pilots to lose and
fail to regain control Of the plane,
the board recognized but gave little
weight to the possibility of ''invol-
untary interference" by the occu-
pant of a Jump seat" between the
pilots seats and the passenger
cabin.
This seat was occupied on the
fatal fight by John B. Staire, jr,
secretary of the air lines district
traffic manager. The board noted
that he had no experience with
actual operation of aircraft. Tur-
bulent air might have caused him
to be thrown forward into the cock
pit, thus interfering with the con-
trolls, the report said, adding par
enthetically that a regulation pre-
scribing the technical qualifications
of any person who may be per-
mitted to occupy the jump seat" is
under consideration
Evidence Reviewed.
Reviewing evidence from wit