Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-03
Grand Canyon Tragedy

Perhaps the precise cause of the
worlds worst civil aviation disaster, cost
ing 1913 lives, will never be known. Pilots
of both of the wrecked airliners are dead
Their final radio messages gave no hint
OF an imminent emergency, beyond the
cryptic unfinished statement of one Of
the crew members: I'VE are going" The
Wreckage of the aircraft, Strewn along the
ragged cliffs of the Grand Canyon, is in
poor condition to furnish clues to the
mystery But since circumStantial evil
dence points to a midair collision, the
investigators will concentrate on a hunt
for positive proof of plane to- plane con-
tact And it is pertinent, in view of the
collision theory. to review the grave warn
tngS of growing air-colliSion hazards given
in report to the Budget Bureau earlier
this year.
The collision possibility arises from
the fact that the huge Trans World and
United AirlineS craft were flying courses
which brought them into the same area
at the same time-but at different al
titudeS. The TWA pilot reported stormy
weather and asked permission to increase
his altitude from 1900 to 1900 feet
Permission was refused because 2l,O00
feet was the altitude of the nearby UAL
plane. But, as is usual at such times, the
TWA pilot was authorized to fly 1000 feet
above the storm clouds. Thus, if the
clouds had reached 10000 feet, the TWA
plane would have risen to the same level
as that of the United ship
Ironically, the so-called Harding re-
port to the Budget Bureau, in referring to
the IS mid-air collisions involving civil
aircraft since 1850, said: Fortunately so
far, none have been between two of our
largest transports when fully loaded"
Then the report added: "At present, we
are continuing to fly more aircraft faster,
higher and more and more often, with
what appears to be a rather casual dis
regard of hazards involved. We are, as
several industry and Government officials
have told us, 'flagrantly defying the law
of averages" 1t pointed out that a recent
study showed that four near collisions Of
aircraft are reported every day, on the
average.
1t is also of interest TO note that the
report makes it clear that the traditional
'see and be seen" safety motto of the era
of slower flying is obsolete in this age of
Jet and turbo power 1t said. 1t is i'm
possible for pilot to fly high-Speed
modern airplane effectively without al
most continuous reference to his cockpit
instruments. Hence, under the best
conditions, the pilot, even if he is alert,
may not be looking out of his airplane
when a mid-air collision is imminent.
Furthermore, he can see only small per
cent of the sky around him from his
cockpit and may not see crossing, over
taking or descending aircraft" And it
was pointed out that, with superliners
and high speeds, it is often impossible to
avert a collision when the hazard is dis
covered.
The urgent recommendations OF the
Harding report for a complete modern
ization of air-traff1c control systems and
facilities in keeping with requirements of
today's overcrowded air space caused
President Eisenhower to appoint Edward
p Curtis to study and plan such an over
haul program The terrible tragedy in
Arizona should at least expedite this i'm
portant undertaking in behalf Of public
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