Evening star., 1960-03-23

Andrew FRANK, key uSuTe III D.
January s, a Civil Aeronautics
In addition, a part of a Il
identified as a piece of Mr..
Franks left trouser leg, was
found in the hatrack across
the aisle from the huge hole
in the right side of the plane
through which Mr.. Frank was
hurled.
The body of Mr.. Frank and
parts of the forward right side
of the plane were found at
Kure Beach near here.
Insured for 81 Million
The bodies of the other 80
victims of the crash were found
with the main part of the Ma
tional Airlines transport 16I
miles to the west of Kure
Beach. near the small town of
Bolivia.
Mr.. Frank, a 32-year-old
New York attorney, was in
sured for more than 81 million.
The key testimony today
came from Martyr v. Clarke,
CAB aeronautical design evalua-
ton engineer who served as
chairman of the structures
group for the investigation, and
Bernard D. Doyle, also a CAB
design evaluation engineer and
chairman of the human fac
tors groups.
Mr.. Clarke said numerous
tiny pieces of wire were found
in floor pieces of the wrecked
plane.
These pieces of wire, which
could not be traced to wire used
in the aircraft. were similar in
size. appearance and compost
ton to wire pieces found in
Franks left hand and arm, in
the fioormat and in other
wreckage pieces" Mr.. Clarke
said.
Other Items Found
He also reported that labora-
tory examination of carpeting
Immediately ahead of and be-
hind the missing floor area in
the forward right side of the
plane disclosed "the presence
Of foreign objects and residues,
including small bits of thin
steel wire necked down on each
end as if pulled apart by un-
usually high forces, material
particles from a blue aircraft
type zippered flight bag, and
deposits Of manganese dioxide,
a substance used in dry-cell
batteries"
I'm summary. the initial dis
integration of the fuselage
structure in the Kure Beach
area was the result Of an ex-
plosion Of dynamite in the pas
senger cabin on the right side
in the vicinity of seats No. 6
and No. T."
Since Mr.. Franks body was
the only one thrown out Of the
plane by this explosion, the
assumption is that he was sit
ting there alone.
The CAB announced previ-
ously that a dynamite explosion
touched of by a dry-cell bat
terry occurred inside the plane
near a seat used by Mr.. Frank.
Other Witnesses Heard
Yesterdays evidence. in the
first day of the hearing.
ing. all pointed to normal func-
tioning of the plane and crew
on a routine flight from New
York to Maimi. up to the time
of the explosion.
The witnesses testifying to
this effect included:
Frank T. Taylor Of Wash
ington, CAB power plant soe-
cialist-"We see nohing in the
power plants Of any emergency
action having been taken"
Walter A. Gonnaud, an as
sociate Of Mr.. Taylor in the
engine field - "a comprehen-
sive study Of the maintenance
history Of the airpIane. its en-
gines and propellers. revealed
no trend data that could be re-
lated to any structural weak
ness or deterioration"
Alexander @. Hardy. senior
vice president Of National, said
there had been some reports
that a propeller blade might
have torn loose and caused the
accident. He said the position
and condition of the engines
and propellers forclosed that
possibility.
Robert 1. Foster, Silver Spring
(MdD Weather Bureau mete-
orologist, said the plane was
intermittently in and out of
the tops of clouds at 10000
feet and could not have en-
countered more than light
turbulence and light icing.
George A. Shoner, Nationals
chief radio operator at Will