- 59 -
the water flares and the can of water. These water flares are composed of metal cans about six inches in length and two inches in diameter, containing a mixture of carbide which forms an inflammable gas when wet, and a substance which will produce a flame to ignite the gas upon contact with water. These cans are sealed and equipped with a pull ring in the top which, when pulled, opens a small hole. If the flare is then placed in water it will immediately ignite. These flares were, of course, inflammable, but under the conditions above described, it seems impossible that they could have ignited while the airplane was in flight in view of the care with which they are sealed and the unlikelihood of water entering the metal container during flight. The fact that the water carried for the boiler was located below the flares and was separated by a part of the flotation gear would preclude the danger of fire from that cause.
Under all of the circumstances, it seems highly unlikely that the airplane was on fire during the flight. It is possible that Mrs. Jacobs' and Garland Jacobs' impression of fire in the air actually resulted from the fire at the time of impact due to the rapidity with which events occurred. Furthermore, the space interval during which they could have seen the airplane was so short as to prevent an accurate observation of the condition of the airplane as it flashed by at a tremendous speed.
The discovery of a number of pieces of burned paper southeast of the scene of the accident appears at first glance to be inconsistent with this conclusion. One piece, a manila envelope, was found 1¼ miles southeast of the point of impact. One possible explanation of the presence of this burned envelope and other papers was that the airplane was on fire prior to impact and the papers blew or were thrown out. However, in view of the evidence which tends to show that there was no fire during flight, the most plausible explanation of the presence of the burned paper is that at the time of impact the terrific up-draft
