Evening star., 1946-07-12
Two Earlier Crashes
Recalled in GROUNDING
OF All Consultations

Two other crashes compare BILE to
that which befell a Lockheed Con-
steIation near Reading, Pa. yes
terday We're recalled today as the
Civilian Aeronautics Administration
grounded all of the big four -engined
craft.
The first occurred last September
IS TO a C-69, the Army equivalent OF
the commercial Constellation. A
Pan-American Airlines crew was
flying the plane from Mills Field,
San Francisco, to the Newark Army
Air Base when a crank shaft drop
ped out.
When one motor fell from the
plane and it caught fire. the crew
crash-landed near Linn, Kans.. with
out injury to any member. But the
Army Immediately grounded all its
C-fqS until notifications and safety
mea res suggested could be intro
duCed, an Army Air Forces officer
said.
This order still is in force except
for test flights that since have been
made to experiment with the recon-
mended changes, the air forces
spokesman added. The officer
pointed out the Army feels it has
had no more trouble with the Lock
heed plane than with any other
type and that the "CAA was way off
base in imposing its suspension.
PAN American Flown.
On June 18. Constellation bound
from New York to London with AZ
persons aboard made an emergency
landing at Willmantic. Conn. In
this case an engine caught fire and
dropped from the plane before the
pilot could bring it in for a belly
landing, one wing burning. The
including Vivien Leigh
and Laurence Olivier. all escaped
injury.
1t was discovered the Willimantic
fire resulted from the failure of a
drive shaft from one of the 2.20O-
horsepower Wright Cyclone engines
which runs an air compressor sup
plying the cabin with artificial al
titude."
-Four days after the fire the CAA
banned the use or Consultations
carrying this type of cabin super
charger. In the preliminary investi-
cation Of yesterdays Reading crash,
1t was noted that the plane was
complying with this order.
At Burbank, Calf, where the
Lockheed plant is located, company
spokesman admitted the super
charger drive shaft system had given
trouble as a fire hazard.
Another hazard Lockheed engi-
neerS have coped with was described
as an induction fire originating in
the carburetor fuel system. Two of
these were experienced in training
flights and were eXtinguished aloft
without loss of ship or personnel. it
was said.
Talk Then of Grounding.
This hazard caused conferences of
CAA officials. manufacturers and air
lines and there was talk last spring
OF grounding planes. Instead it was
decided TO eliminate the carburetor
induction system as soon as possible
and replace it with a direct fuel in
lection system.
The only other accident befalling
a Constellation and investigated bv
CAA occurred here March % and
was not due to mechanical diff
culties.
in that mishap. the TWA Star of
Rome skidded off runway at Ma
tional Airport and came to a halt
with its tail protrduing into Mount
Vernon Memorial boulevard. Only
three passengers were aboard, the
plane having dropped most of it's
load in New York, and none was
hurt.
The pilot was Capt. Sam Lewis of
Washington, who said the planes
landing gear failed after the ship
touched the runway and skidded on
its belly, out of control.