Ministry of Defense Board of Inquiry, Republic of Italy

“ On the strength of available knowledge, it cannot be stated positively that static electricity discharges generated at the vent outlets of an aircraft in flight, from which (outlets) flammable gasoline vapors are escaping, will necessarily cause those vapors to ignite, but the indication is that such a danger is within the realm of possibility. ”

“ On the velocity of the vapors escaping from the individual pipes, corresponding to climbing speeds of 900, 600, and zero feet a minute, revealed that said vapors, as the result of suitable electric discharges of a nonstatic nature, become ignited only under conditions that would occur when the plane was climbing, and that the flame did not spread to the interior of the tanks. ”