REPLY BY PILOT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 209, 4 August 1937, Page 10

REPLY BY PILOT

THE BIG BAY CRASH. QUESTION OF STALLING SPEED. Per Press Association. INyERCARGILL, Aug. 3. The following statement was made to-night by Mr A. J. Bradshaw, the pilot involved in the aeroplane crash at Big Bay on December 30, when a passenger was killed and others injured, in reply to the findings of the board of inquiry:—• In the report of the board of inquiry is a finding of negligence against me as pilot of the machine. Owing to the inquiry being held in camera, in spite of my objections, the full evidence has not been made available to the public to read, but reference to parts of it is made in the report. The evidence given by Pilot Clarke and myself that the machine would glide safely at 70 miles an hour is not mentioned. I questioned the accuracy of the evidence given of a stalling speed of 65 miles an hour and asked that tests he made with a similar machine at present in use in New Zealand. This request has been ignored. The evidence of a plate screwed in the cockpit of the machine for the information of pilots has also been ignored. This plate reads as follows-: “Climb at 65 miles an hour; stalling speed 50 miles an hour on normal load.” I cabled the makers of the De Havilland Company as follows: “Re Fox 2 KADC: Makers plate states stalling speed normal load fifty. What would stalling speed be with total weight 20001 b, conditions normal, height above sea level 200 feet? Illformation required in connection with inquiry?” They replied: “Stalling speed 18001 b 37.5 miles an hour, 20001 b 50 miles an hour.” The finding of negligence by the board is based on evidence that the machine would stall at between 60 and 65 miles an hour, which is 10 to 15 miles an hour above the stalling speed given by the makers for a full load of 20001 b. Had tests been carried out as I requested, the inaccuracy of the evidence of a stalling speed of between 60 and 65 miles an hour would have been proved. In fairness to myself, I wish to put the above facts before the public in order that they may appreciate the evidence on which my reputation as a pilot has been attacked. I cannot claim space to deal with the other statements in the report, but wish to point out that the total load of the machine at the time of the accident was below that allowed by the certificate of airworthiness for the machine issued by the Aviation Department.