speak, and having nothing to do but to get into it and
fly, did not, in many cases, exercise this saving grace of caution. And
that--at least in my view--is why a good many of what one may call the
second flight of pilots came to grief."

CHAPTER XLVI. Accidents and their Cause (Cont.)

One of the main causes of aeroplane accidents has been the breakage of
some part of the machine while in the air, due to defective work in its
construction. There is no doubt that air-craft are far more trustworthy
now than they were two or three years ago. Builders have learned from
the mistakes of their predecessors as well as profited by their own.
After every serious accident there is an official enquiry as to the
probable cause of the accident, and information of inestimable value has
been obtained from such enquiries.

The Royal Aero Club of Great Britain has a special "Accidents
Investigation Committee" whose duty it is to issue a full report on
every fatal accident which occurs to an aeroplane in this country. As a
rule, representatives of the committee visit the scene of the accident
as soon as possible after its occurrence. Eye-witnesses are called
before them to give evidence of the disaster; the remains of the
craft are carefully inspected in order to discover any flaw in its
construction; evidence is taken as to the nature and velocity of the
wind on the day of the accident, the approximate height at which the
aviator was flying, and, in fact, everything of value that might bear on
the cause of the accident.

As a good example of an official report we may quote that issued by the
Accidents Investigation Committee of the Royal Aero Club on the fatal
accident which occurred to Colonel Cody and his passenger on 7th August,
1913.

"The representatives of the Accidents Committee visited the scene of
the accident within a few hours of its occurrence, and made a careful
examination of the wrecked air-craft. Evidence was also taken from the
eye-witnesses of the accident.

"From the consideration of the evidence the Committee regards the
following facts as clearly established:

"1. The air-craft was built at Farnborough, by Mr. S. F. Cody, in July,
1913.

"2. It was a new type, designed for the Daily Mail Hydroplane Race
round Great Britain, but at the time of the accident had a land chassis
instead of floats.

"3. The wind at the time of the accident was about 10 miles per hour.

"4. At about 200 feet from the groun