Show AIRCRAFT DEATH REPORT IS S MADEl MAflE Naval Aviation ITeld Safe Although 19 Dic In Year May Dy By ByThe The Tho Associated Press Press- Press Moved by bythe bythe the frequency ot of recent disasters In naval aviation which have havo re- re suited In the tho death ot of 16 offIcers and men since April I. I 1 Secretary Wilbur has called upon near fleer Ad- Ad Admiral miral Moffett chief of oC the bur burau au of oC aeronautics to report whether the tho number numb r ot of such accidents had been abnormal Replying Admiral Moffett oCt tt declared that despite the th recent increase In casualties the airplane is hi safer sater toda today than ever before and the unfortunate deaths which have havo occurred during the thelast last few weeks are not a fair cri- cri criterion en- en tenon terion ot of either the tho safety ot of the airplane or the efficiency ot of the personnel operating them bu but rather must be laid to the vagarIes lea Ies ot of fortune The he recent naval aviation dL- dL disasters asters while mo most t regrettable loUett's statement continued should not hot bb considered with with- without out first snaking making a study ot of the history ot of aviation accidents for tor forthe the preceding months During the I 13 months ending March 26 1927 over o passenger miles were flown by naval na planes dur- dur durIng during Ing which time ther were ere 29 19 deaths or a death for every mil mu million lion miles traveled by the tho average aviator The scouting fleet leet alone alono has just completed a cruise during which over passenger miles were flown and during which there was neither death nor a serious Injury to the per per- personnel During the tho year preceding this planes of the fleet Cleet flew Clew the equivalent ot of over o S 8 times around the world without a single forced landing Over O land land- landings landings ings have havo been I made ade on the Lang Lang- icy ley airplane carrier without ever seriously injuring an aviator |