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Show FABRIC USED t he POOR, BELIEF Airship Destroyed in Texas Cost Uncle Sam $270,000 SAN ANTONIO. Oct. 18 A board of Inquiry composed of Lieutenant Colonel A. G. Flsber Captain O. W. Mclntyre and Lieutenant Donald Hut-chins Hut-chins of Brooksflehl, began an investigation in-vestigation this morning to determine the causes of explosions which destroyed de-stroyed the army dlrlglblo C-2, Tuesday Tues-day morning just as It was starting on an exhibition flight over the city carrying 11 passengers. I Eight of the 11 were Injured by Jumping 15 to 20 feet from the dirigible's dir-igible's gondola just beforo its hydrogen hy-drogen gas and gasoline vapor ignited, but none was seriously hurt The 192 foot dirigible which had successfully completed a cross country coun-try flight from Langley field. Virginia, Vir-ginia, to San Francisco was on its i homeward voyage and Is a complete wreck. BI.AMLS FABRIC. Major 11. A. Strauss, commander of j the C-2, was expected to testify be-, lore the Inquiry board that tho ac-i cldent was caused by fabric pulling out of tho envelope, as the Olg dir- I lgible started from the Brooks field hangar. This. In the opinion, of some officers, implies that the fabric used In construction of the dirigible, was not up to standard. Major ;straus.s' estimate of the value Of the C-2 was $70,000 It originally cost the government $270,000. A statement on the direct cause of the accident mad I by Major Strauss, who was sllffhth Injured, said GUX PI LLS LOOSE. "I ordered the ship back Into tho hangar. Just as we .started, another gust of wind camo and the fabric to which tho Windward handling guy was attached pulled loose, and a guy broke Under the sudden pressure and the ( third handling guy failed, releasing the bag and permitting it to swing to the leeward into the OOUCretS structure struc-ture at the base of the hangar door. Tho bag was torn and as the bag became be-came loose tho car broke In two places. "Thirty ' seconds after the car broke the hydrogen In the envelope "took fire due to the hole and rapid Influx of air. The ship bad been in per- feet condition for the continuation of the transcontinental fly and the cross-wind cross-wind was not of such velocity as would cause any trouble In handling. "The accident which lias resulted BO disastrously for the C-2 itself is J due primarily to the pulling out of i the fabric of the envelope If this had not occurred the ship undoubted-Iv undoubted-Iv Would have in-en safely maneuvered maneuver-ed Into the hangar." |