§ Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has anything to report as a result of the investigation into the fatal accident to the Imperial Airways 1315W flying-boat Calpurnia, on Lake Habbaniyah, in December, 1938?
Captain BalfourThe conclusions of the Inspector of Accidents with regard to this accident are being published in the form of a communiqué. It appears that towards the end of the flight from Tiberias the pilot was uncertain of his exact position and unable, owing to strong atmospherics, to receive the wireless bearings sent to him. He was flying very low in darkness and adverse weather conditions in an endeavour, to fix his position by ground observation, and failed to realise how low he was. The aircraft then struck the water of the lake with the engines running under power.