Evening star., 1947-06-14
3pC-4 Crashes Hint
OF Structural + allure,
Brewster Declares
~ the As.eeiatsd Press

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Senator Brewster, Republican, of
Maine, said today the occurrence
Of three disastrous DC-4 plane
crashes within a few weeks strong
" suggests a structural failure"
Senator Brewster, chairman OF the
Senate Commerce Subcommittee on
Aviation, said his groups investi-
gators will look into the latest of
the three crashes, that near Lees
burg, Va, last night, in which so
persons are believed to have been
killed.
He said he does not believe en-
CINE failure can be blamed for
any of the three accidents at La
Guardia Field, Port Deposit, Md.
or in Virginia.
Evidence gathered thus far. Sen
ator Brewster said, indicates that
careful scrutiny" of the DC-4, a
four-engfned plane in wide COM
mercial use, is called for
May Consider Grounding All.
He said he was not prepared to
recommend that all DC-4s be
grounded, but that he assumes the
civil aeronautics agencies will con-
slider the advisability of such action.
The Office of Chairman James M
Lands of the Civil Aeronautics
Board said the matter of a meet
ing to discuss what general steps
might be taken is under discussion
At first glance it appears unlikely
tration. the agency responsible for
the airworthiness of aircraft, will
ground planes of the DC-4 type,
since such drastic action is taken
only when a design effect has been
found or the cause of an accident
is undetermined but suspicious lie
In the direction of design defect
in new type.
urges Conservatism in Safety Fund.
Senator Brewster told a Senate
Appropriation Subcommittee that
he thinks it should be "conServa-
tive" In making funds available for
new safety equipment.
The crashes at La Guardla Field
snd in Maryland, he said, would
not have been affected in any way
by the use of ground control ap-
proach equipment, and he does not
believe it would have averted the
Virginia accident.
There is suficient doubt about
the effectiveness of the system that
the committee might well go SLOW,
he testified.
Senator Brewster told the group.
considering funds for the Com
merce Department for the fiscal
year starting July l, that ne has
seen a new system, now being de-
veloped- by all the sirlines jointly,
which NAV we'll solve the problem
of all-@eather flying.
Proposes Delay in Other Fund.
Until there has been further proof
OF the effectiveness Of electronics
eo,1ipment to prevent accidents,
Senator Brewster told the subcom-
mi:tee, IT think We should go rather
slowly" in making funds available
for its purchase.
He said the TACT tnat 80 lew oi
the rs crashes which occurred In
1s46 would have been prevented by
its use: is "a complete answer" to
contentious that the Government
should spend $4,000 1000 to $50 ,000,-
600. as recommended by the Com
merce Department, for such equip
ment.
He also recommended that new
funds for airport development. par
ticularly on smaller fields, might
we'll be held up for at least another
year. More funds are needed prl-
marily to maintain the airports now
in existence rather than to con-
struct new ones. he said.
The Civil Aeronautics Administra-
ton had asked S65, ,00O, 900 for Fed
eral aid to airports next year. and
the House cut this figure In half be-
fore approving the appropriations
bill.
Il think we can very we'll curtail
these funds without jeopardizing
the safety of our airlines." he testi-
fed.