Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 13 February 1951, page 7


Suggestion

On Air

Crash Cause

PERTH, Monday.—A sug-gestion that the A.N.A. air-liner Amana crashed on June 26 near York because the trim

tab elevators became jammed and caused the plane to dive earthwards was made by Mr.

R. Holmes.

Mr. Holmes is appearing for the widow of one of the 29 vic-tims, at the Air Court of In-quiry here to-day.

(The trim tabs are used to trim the flight of the aircraft, and work in conjunction with the

main elevators on both the tail and mainplanes.)

Mr. Holmes told Mr. Justice Simpson, who, with two assessors, Captain J. W. Bennett and Mr. D. B. Hudson, is conducting the inquiry, that his cross-examina-tion of certain witnesses was fol-lowing those lines.

Captain J. A. Still, of North Essendon, pilot of the Amana on its last west-bound flight, said in reply to a question by Mr. Holmes that it might be possible

for three crew members to hold the plane on course if the tabs did jam.

Captain L. H. Mellor, training

pilot on the same trip, said it would be more difficult to hold if the tabs were jammed in the diving position.

A senior leading hand and air-craft engineer for A.N.A. at Para field, Mr. A. G. White, said the weatherheads of the Amana were not drained when the plane arrived in Adelaide from Mel-bourne. (Weatherheads are small taps for testing for water in petrol tanks.)

In reply to Mr. L. D. Seaton, K.C., assisting the Court, he said be was not aware the Civil

Aviation Department required

weatherheads to be drained in transit.

Mr. H. A. Winneke (for the Department of Civil Aviation): Would you be provided with a copy of air navigation orders?

Witness: Yes.

Mr. Winneke: They would be available to you at Parafield?

Witness: Yes.