72066 [No. 41] REPORT OF SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE CRASH OF IMPERIAL AIRLINES, INC., AIRPLANE RICHMOND, VA., NOVEMBER 8, 1961 COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES EIGHTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FEBRUARY 8, 1962 Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1962 COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES [87th Cong.] CARL VINSON, Georgia, Chairman L. MENDEL RIVERS, South Carolina O. C. FISHER, Texas PORTER HARDY, JR., Virginia CHARLES E. BENNETT, Florida J. T. RUTHERFORD, Texas A. FERNÓS-ISERN, Puerto Rico LESLIE C. ARENDS, Illinois JAMES E. VAN ZANDT, Pennsylvania BOB WILSON, California FRANK C. OSMERS, JR., New Jersey FRANK J. BECKER, New York CHARLES E. CHAMBERLAIN, Mi Figan ROBERT T. STAFFORD, Vermont ROBERT W. SMART, Chief Counsel SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE, RICHMOND AIR CRASH, NOVEMBER 8, 1961 DANIEL B. BREWSTER PORTER HARDY, JR., Chairman JAMES E. VAN ZANDT ROBERT W. SMART, Counsel Role of MTMA and MATS as related to this investigation [No. 41] REPORT OF SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE, RICHMOND AIR CRASH, NOVEMBER 8, 1961 PREFACE On November 8, 1961, an airplane crashed near Richmond, Va., resulting in the death of 74 Army_recruits. Of the crew of five, three perished. The pilot, Capt. Ronald Conway, and the flight engineer, William Poythres, survived. On November 16, 1961, the Honorable Carl Vinson, chairman, House Committee on Armed Services, took appropriate action to institute an investigation of this crash. He appointed this special subcommittee for that purpose and set forth its jurisdiction and responsibility as follows: Hon. PORTER HARDY, Jr., HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington 25, D.C., November 16, 1961. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. HARDY: Pursuant to the authority granted me in committee Resolution No. 5, adopted February 16, 1961, I am appointing a special subcommittee to make inquiry into the recent air crash near Richmond, Va., which took the lives of 74 Army recruits, as well as other accidents or incidents involving commercial aircraft carrying military passengers. The subcommittee will also make inquiry into the entire matter of transporting military passengers in commercial aircraft, including, but not limited to, the method of awarding transportation contracts to commercial air carriers, and the airworthiness of aircraft carrying military passengers. The subcommittee shall consist of three members as follows: Porter Hardy, Jr., chairman, Daniel B. Brewster, and James E. Van Zandt. The designation of the above-named minority member is made with the concurrence of Mr. Arends, ranking minority member. The subcommittee is directed to file its conclusions and recommendations upon completion of its inquiry and as early in the 2d session, 87th Congress, as may be consistent with a full and factual consideration of the subject. Sincerely yours, CC: Mr. Brewster, Mr. Van Zandt. CARL VINSON, Chairman. During the period, November 20, 1961 to January 8, 1962, numerous conferences were held on behalf of the subcommittee with those agencies of the Government having a primary interest in and responsibility for this subject. Numerous requests were made for statistical information and charts and other types of information, supporting the extensive research required on the part of the subcommittee as well |