◆ SpookStack

Tha a rae ee eis aes ce es ae connected this line to anything or note The detonation did not have any particular effect upon Hinkelbein. He, however, noticed that the ship immediately was rising very strongly forward. He estimated the time between the first dropping of the landing line and the incident of inclination as about two minutese It was practically about the seme instant when the inclination of the ship took place that Hinkel- : : bein noticed the fire. He ran to the first window on the starboard side of the passenger quarters and waited until the ship was close enough to the ground, and then jumped out. Hinkelbein advised that the passengers were only allowed aft on tours conducted by members of the crew, and that the passenger's quarters were locked against any entrance aft. In fact, to get aft from the passenger's quarters, it was necessary to pass through the querters of the Chief Steward. This trip was Hinkelbein's first trip in an airship, end he advised that all prior experience was limited to heavier-thaneair craft. Hinkelbeintse impression at the time the landing line was dropped was that the airship was standing still, and at no time did he have the impression that the ship ever backed up. Hinkelbein was firct concerned with the safety of the flight when he observed the reflection of the fire, and in his opinion this reflection was entirely a normal appearance of fire. According to his memory, the jerk, the sound of the detonation, and the reflect- ed fire were all similtaneouse Hinkelbein had had no experience with the type of engines used on the Hindenburg, but during the trip he had noticed nothing un- usual in the rumming of these engines. At mo time during the trip had Hinkelbein noticed any backfire of the engines. He had not chserved anything unsual as to the passengers or the crew during the tripe He advised that the passengers were not examined before they made tours of the ship but that prior to getting aboard the airship they were re- quested to surrender all matches or lighters, It was also weil known to the members of the passenger list that smoking was prohibited ex- cept in the smoking room. As the airship approached lakehurst, Hinkelbein observed that the ship was proceeding at a very slow pace, but due to his ine experience eboard airships he was umable to estimate the speed of the