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TP 26 ke AIR COMMERCE BULLETIN } : companied by alight increase in barometric Pressure, decrease tn temperature, beavy showers aud several thundershowers. Then there followed a rapid decrease in the veloc- ity of the wind ond its direction becume variable. The wind.at Lakchurat at 6:30 P. M. went into the southeast and Femained there for about 45 minutes, shifting ogain, and then it became mostly southerly. ‘The front, after Passing shout 3: 30 P. m. E. 8. T., epparcady slowed down to a rate of approximately 7 miles an hour and was in the vicinity “of Atlantic City, N. J., of & p. m., its direction being north portheast- Southwest, clearing rapidly after & p.m. During the afternoor cumujo nimbus and cumuhis cloude developed locally and with the approach of the front there appeared ag well-defined mild squall line ip the west, which moved slowly over Lakelu: and apparently became stationary Letyten ft and the short Une until about §:§ , i, when it continued eastward. Several Leavy showers occurred between 5 §nd 6p. in, With accompanying thunder. jaibillty was reduced during these showers,- At 6:12 P. mi. the thunderstorm then over the fleli was moving north, and it was believed thar br the time the ship arrived at the etation the storm would have inoved away from the station, The snip at this time was out of sight because of low visibility nnd the ceiling, in the direction from which it was expected to approach, was net more than to 600 feet. Conditions at the time of the approach were: Celling between 2.000 to 3,000 fert ; Gouds 0.7 stratus: very light rainfall; sky showed sisns o: clearing to the west. ward; barometric pressure 29.72; temper- ature 60° F.; relative numidity 98; surface Wind light, variable and shifting and at the precise moment of the beginning of the Janding was southeast 1 knot. It wis ex- pected that the surface Wind dircction Would go into the west or Perhaps the northwest. Reports from ‘Trenton and Camden, N. J., indicated that the wind was westerly and that at Camden it war about 18 knots just previons to the landing of the ship, Wind at top of the weather tower on the field was west @ knots. The &pproach level of the ship wis about 200 feet above the ground. The top of the tower is 186 feet above Bea level ¢ elevation at place of landing was about 90 feet above sea level). The inversion condi- tion was 60° at the Jower tevel, 59° at the second, and 57° at the third level, betng temperature readings at varions levels from the top to the bottom of the Weather tower, As the ship was approaching the landing area, occasional lightning wag vistble from the distant south and southtrest, but nane Wis observed over the field at this time. When the headway of the shin was stopped. aA pronounced shift of wind was felt on top of the mooring mast, from southerly to Southeast or south-southeast. This wind Was colder than the previous wind had been. Communications, Radio Recular reports from the Bhip were re- cclved as scheduled at the haval air station. Lakehurst. At one Stage in the latter pari of the flight the static was bad but it did not prevent communications between the ship and ground Stations, shortly before arrival at Lakehurst, direct communication Was maintained by the ship with the naval fir station. At 2:55 p. m., eastern standard time, the station received a message from the com- inander of the ship stating that he would de- Part from Lakehurst ag 8001 AB porsible after arrival. At 4:42 P Mm. the commander of the station radiced the ship: “Conditions still unsettled recommend delay landing un- tH further word from atation advise your Uecisium At 4:52 B. m., the cummumler of the slip replied : “We Will walt ul you report thut landing conditions are Detter.” t 6:12 p.m. the commander of the gta- ion advised the ship: “Condilions now considered suitabic for landing ground erew is ready Reried thunder-sturm over btation fect visibility 5 miles to west- Ward surface temperature 60 purtier wind west-southwest § knots BuUstk 1o 20 knots Surface pressure 29.68," At 6:22 p, m. station cummander radioed ship; “Kecom- mend landing now.” At 6 Pp. ©. station tranamitted to ship: “Overcust moderate Fain diminishing Hghtning in west celling 2,000 feet improving visibility surface wind west-southwest 4 knots gusts under 10 knots surtace temperature 61 pressure 20.70." At 6:08 DB. mi. station commander Bent last message: “Conditiong definite) improved recommend earlicst possible land- ing.” This wag acknowledged Dy the ghip. - Prior to the accident all of the ship's trailing antennas Had been reeled in. Ko high-frequency transmissions were being conducted when the trail ropes were dropped from the ship. Both transmitters were turned to the “off position at that time and remained so thereafter. The radio dy- namotors had also been shut off. The last had been sounded, about 75 minutes Le. fore the fire. It was sent on the long-wave transmitter to Lakehurst at 6:10 p. m., EL 8. T. During the landing, watch was kept on the long-wave retelyer Ne landing report was transmitted from the silp ta Germany while ft was over the field at Lake- hurst. One of the ship's radiomen stated that atmospheric distur nees bad been en- countered during the afternoon of May 6, but that such condition improved toward evening and continued to improve during the last 30 minutes of the filzht. No dif: fleultr was ekperienced during that period i sending or receiving either on the short or long-wave tranemittera or Teceivers, Witness Herbert Dowe, ship radia aneratar and that he did not notice any interference which could have been caused by improper bonding or shielding and that be did net Tecelve any Interference such aS Inight Lave been tranemitted by local station. There was no oral communication between persons in the ship and on the grcund dur- ng the maneuver, he sequence of actions in bringing the ship op to the landing point je in part re- vealed pictorially by the track of the ship over Lekehurst, @rawn on map of the naval Air station, with notes on the maneuver hy witness H. W. Bauer (see appendix TI), Along other data the map prorides informa. tion respecting successive altitudes, epeed, operation of engines, release of ballast, and valving of gas. Operation of Engines About 10 minutes before dropping the bow trail ropes, the engines were raining full cruising speed ahead; ship's speed abont 33 meters per second (approximately 73 miles per hour), The altitude of the ship, according to its altimeter, was then about 180 meters (590 feet). About 8 to 8 minutes prior to the releare of the ropes all engines were idled ahead; altitiurte 740 meters (492 feet); ship's Speed falling aff to 15 meters per second {approximately 83 miles per hour). Then, in fairly rapid order the after engines ‘were idled astern and then put full astern to reduce the speed to 12 to 12 meters per second (aporox- imately 27 mifes per bour; after which all