EPILOGUE
The requirement to fit the jury-strut modification was issued by the manufacturer in March 1932 but did not solve the problem as seven of these modified aircraft sustained structural failures
The Aeronautical research Laboratory at the Department of Defence in Melbourne became involved and in March 1993 released document AD-A267 086 wherein the Air Accidents Investigation Committee concluded it was aileron flutter that caused the wing to disintegrate in flight
"It eventually led to the first mathematical analysis of flutter reported in the now-famous ARC R&M 1699 Report on Puss Moth Accidents by R A Frazer - W J Duncan - A R Collar"
So it was established that by fitting (improved) aileron mass balance weights to the DH-80 aircraft the problem was solved as there were no further instances of structural failure that could be attributed to "turbulence"
COPY OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT ON DH-80 ACCIDENTS RELEASED IN MARCH 1993 (click to view)
It can be concluded then that the Puss Moth Bert Hinkler was flying on that fateful day in January 7 1933 experienced "aileron flutter" when passing over the mountains of Italy where there was no doubt of at least some turbulence that started the oscillation
It can also be deduced that Bert was attempting an emergency landing and that he survived the crash after the left wing departed the aircraft during the landing
So the accident was not "weather related" at all ...it was due to poor aircraft design aided by a touch of deceit by the DH-80 manufacturer and by those 'in-the-know'
A sad indictment of society's attitude as a whole at the time
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Today's Date is 7/01/2013 - A Salute to the World's Greatest Solo Pioneer Pilot and Navigator
To Bundaberg's Bert Hinkler lost 80-years ago to-day - never to be forgotten by those Pilots who have been touched by the Hinkler Navigational Magic
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