◆ SpookStack

the breaking out of the fire attracted his attention at once to that portion of the vessel... He aleo informed that he noticed no structural failure that he can recall prior to the time he saw the first flame, followed by the mffled explosion, but he does recall that the mtors had been in reverse and that at the time of the appearance of the fire it is his recollection that the motors were idling, and that at the time he saw the first outburst of fire he believes that the mtors had been slowed down for approximately one half minute. At this time there was marked for identification a diagram of the field at Lakehurst as well as the diagram of the Hindenburg it= self upon which appears the markings of Officer Buckley which indicate the position that he assumed at the time of the ship's approach for landing on May 6th. Upon further questioning he stated that he did not recall whether the motors were started or stopped several times during the manoeuvers performed in the ship's attempted landing, due to the fact that he was more concerned in getting the ground crew under his direct supervision into the proper position so that the ship could be proper ly received at the time that she was ready to be moored, He described the first flame seen by him as being fifteen to twenty feet in length and five to ten feet in width, and that it ap- peared two-thirds of the way up on the ship's back. Upon further questioning Buckley informed that he does recall that the Hindenburg had moored under more difficult conditions during the last year of 1936 than the conditions prevailing on May 6th, and that he wanted to clarify his previous statement regarding the conditions on May 6th to read "that stormy oonditions certainly prevailed and that the conditions wers more stormy than any under which she had previously landed at Lakehurst, but that the Hindenburg had landed under more difficult son= ditions at Lakehurst, which conditions were produced not by stormy wea- ther but by strong prevailing winds." He also stated that he did not feel that there were any difficulties encountered in the landing on May 6th up to the tim that the accident occurred. Further, that the ship appeared to be miking @ usual landing, and further, that even though the Hindenburg was slight- ly heavy at the stern he is of the opinion that for a lighter-than-air craft to show a slight list in the stern is not an unusual condition at the time she attempts to land. Further, he stated that the discharge of water ballast to correct this list aft was most certainly the ortho- dox manner in correcting such a condition, 2 cet nee nent oe tence ce eee