§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board Trade when the interpretation of the data contained in the black box flight recorder carried on the Dan Air Comet which crashed near Barcelona on Friday 3rd July will be made available; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CorfieldA preliminary readout from the Midas recorder from the Dan Air Comet was made on Friday 10th July. It appears to be a good recording and the information concerning the aircraft's 139W altitude, heading and speeds will be of value in improving the quality of the reconstruction of the last part of the aircraft's flight path which is already being prepared from other available evidence.
The initial readout is being sent to Spain and a Principal Inspector of Accidents from the Board of Trade will be discussing the progress of the investigation with the Spanish authorities in Barcelona next week. I think it would be wise for me to await the outcome of these conversations before I make any further statement.
FATAL ACCIDENTS TO AIRCRAFT OF PUBLICLY-OWNED AND OTHER BRITISH AIRLINES 1960 TO 1970 (TO DATE) SHOWING NUMBER OF FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES TO PASSENGERS AND CREW Publicly-Owned Airlines Other British Airlines Year Total Number of Accidents Number of Persons Killed Number Seriously Injured Total Number of Accidents Number of Persons Killed Number Seriously Injured 1960 … — — — 1 3 — 1961 … 1 27 6 4 2 8 39 — 34 — 4* — 1962 … 1 1 3 3 12 5 1 — 111 — 1963 … — — — — — — 1964 … — — — 1 83 — 1965 … 1 36 — 2 26 1 2 — 1966 … 1 124 — 1 97 17 1967 … 1 66† — 4 2 — 88 — 72 12 2 — 1968 … 1 5 10 2 48 — 6 2 1969 … — — — 1* 3 1 1970 … — — — 1 112 — * Crew training flight. † Aircraft destroyed by explosive device placed in passenger cabin.