Salt Lake Telegram | 1940-11-26 | Page 6 | It Must Not Happen Again

It If Must Not Happen Again THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS authority is to tobe tobe 1 be congratulated on the thoroughness of its Investigation of the United Air Lines plane crash near this city November 4 The inquiry was believed to be one of the most searching ever conducted by the C A A. A Certainly there was no apparent attempt to conceal anything or to slide over any phase of the investigation The inquiry was thorough and it was public Now that the investigation is completed it will be the task of the civil aeronautics board to consider all the testimony and reach a decision decision decision de de- as to the cause of the crash Inasmuch as s there are about 2000 pages of testimony and exhibits which the board must peruse it willbe will willbe willbe be some time time probably probably months months before before a decision decision decision de de- de- de is reached Meanwhile the public will be mulling over some of the revelations at the investigation One revelation which we think is inescapable is that the operation of the radio ranges and other aids to air transportation by the civil aeronautics authority is not as efficient as it should be Without going into details there were several points brought out at the inquiry which indicated a degree of laxity and carelessness carelessness careless careless- ness which is Inexcusable The whole matter of airway radio ranges and instrument flying by means of those ranges is far too technical for the layman to be able to say with authority how much inefficiency might or might not contribute to of the range We dont don't know even yet positively that displacement of the range was the dire direct t cause of the crash The fact has been established however that the north range which the wrecked plane was using was substantially substantially sub sub- out of alignment It seems furthermore furthermore further further- more that the defect should have been known and proper steps should have been taken immediately im im- mediately to warn planes using the range and Athus thus prevent a mishap It will do little good now to heap recriminations on the heads of those whose inefficiency may have been responsible or partly responsible for the crash Of course any flagrant dere- dere of duty should not go unpunished But the important thing is to profit by the experience i ence Pence and to so improve the improve the efficiency of the radio ranges and the personnel that it cannot happen again