Eugene L. Vidal, Aviation Accident Report: American Airlines Flight on 22 December 1934 (1935)
“ It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the lack of evidence makes any definite conclusions as to the probable cause of this accident a matter of conjecture. The most logical assumption appears to be that the battery generator system failed, thus causing an error in the ship's compass and probably affecting other essential navigation instruments. ”
Eugene L. Vidal, Aviation Accident Report: 1934 Northwest Airlines crash (1935)
“ The takeoff from Milwaukee was made using the left fuel tank only. When at an altitude of about twenty feet, the fuel warning lights came on and the left engine stopped. The pilot immediately switched the fuel valve to feed from both tanks and the co-pilot used the wobble pump. The plane settled to the ground with enough force to blow the right tire and break the right hub and wheel structure. At the time of impact, the left engine started again and, under power of both engines, the plane rose to an altitude of fifty to seventy-five feet. ”
Eugene L. Vidal, Aviation Accident Report: American Airlines Flight on 22 December 1934 (1935)
“ Had he been able to intercept any radio signals, a man of his experience would have known something was wrong with his course and would have lost some time in orienting himself to his correct course. With this particular system, other pilots have found that with battery failure or failure of the wire carrying the current from the generator to the battery, the generator, too, usually fails. Failure of the generator would throw the compass off 30° to 50° which might easily account for the erroneous course followed by the pilot. ”
