Evening star., 1947-10-17
Plane
Continued From First Page.)

malfunctioned while in fight, al
though the airplane was thoroughly
checked after it landed at Ell Paso
by CAA inspectors, who found all
equipment in good operating order,
they reported.
Later, the CAB reported. another
version was agreed to by the three
pilots, Capt. Sisto, Capt. John Beck
and Capt. Melvin Logan.
Capt. Beck, seated on the left,
was actually flying the aircraft.
He was on the flight to familiarize
himself with the plane and its
equipment. Capt. Logan was in
the right seat and acting as co-pilot
while Capt. Sisto was seated on
the jump seat Immediately behind
them to check out Capt. Beck at
the controls.
The airplane was at 5000 feet
after passing over Ell Paso, it was re-
ported, when Capt. Sisto decided
to engage the gust lock while in
flight to determine what action, If
any, it would have on the control
and altitude of the airplane
Usually Used on Ground.
The gust lock is normally used
only on the ground to lock the
control surfaces against damage
from the wind.
Capt. Sisto's action, It was said,
was unknown to the other two pilots.
The airplane began to climb and
Capt. Beck countered by adjusting
the trim tabs on the control sur
faces to return to level flight. This
action, it was said. was readily
observed by Capt. Sisto.
Rolling the little wheel on the
control pedestal to bring the trim
tabs into corrective position ZAP
peared to have no effect on return
ing the aircraft to level altitude" +"
it was reported by CAB investigators
Capt. Beck then asked Capt. Sisto
II the automatic pilot was in opera
ton, and Capt. Sisto replied in the
negative. Capt. Beck then thought
the gust lock might be engaged, and
started to return the trim tabs to
normal position before throwing the
gust lock lever.
Gust Lock Released.
However, before he could reach
for the control Wheel" the report
said, Capt. Sisto released the gust
lock still unbeknown to Capts. Beck
and Logan, and at this point the
aircraft pitched downward in a very
violent maneuver."
It was explained that the trim
tabs were still in position to nose
the heavy ship down when the in
huence of the gust lock in position
was suddenly released.
The quick drive threw Capt. Sisto
and Beck to the top of the cockpit
while Capt. Logan was held in
place by his seat belt. During the
confusion, the pilots were thrown
against the feathering button on
three of the engines, and the velo-
city Of the dive was reduced by
the fact thai three propellers were
thrown into neutral position.
The aircraft went through the
first half of an outside loop and
was flying upside down in the oppo-
site direction from normal flight
when "it was rolled out on the left
by action of the co-plot," Capt.
Logan. The aircraft was righted
at an altitude of 300 to 400 feet.
None of the passengers and crew
was seriously injured, although they
were badly shaken by the maneuver,
the report stated.
On landing, the airplane was
parked in a hangar and put under
lock until Federal inspectors could
go over it, the report continued.
The plane suffered only slight
damage from the unusual strain
placed on the structure, although
the lining in the cabin showed the
impact of passengers and luggage
striking against it when the ship
was inverted.
The airplane later was released tc
the company.