Page:Aviation Accident Report, American Export Airlines Flight 71.pdf/12

- 11 - switch on any of this model airplane which they had flown. However, it was determined that these new switches with the stop-spring had been installed on all of these planes. (See sketches of old and new switches on page 11A.)

CONCLUSIONS

When the captain gave the order to "stand by for take-off", he had finished warming the engines, the take-off area had been patrolled, his usual preflight cockpit check had been made, and he was all ready for take-off when the first officer entered the cockpit.

The first officer stated that after he had taken his seat and fastened his safety belt, he only had time to complete a part of his cockpit check before the captain commenced the take-off. When he glanced out at the right wing and observed the flaps in a slightly down position, the take-off run was already under way. This and other of his statements indicate that whatever cockpit check he made was done very hurriedly and was not completed before the take-off. From his testimony, it is apparent that he was not thoroughly familiar with the location of the 35° flap position on the flap selector switch and it is entirely possible that he hurriedly moved the switch from "off" to "35°", which was the next and last position on the switch.

The instrument panel sank with the bow of the hull and was not recovered. It carried the flap selector swatch mounted on a metal box, the top of which is about 15 inches above the floor of the cockpit. (See photograph, page 12A.)

The location of the flap selector stitch on this instrument panel and the proximity of the instrument panel to the first officer's seat make necessary the consideration of the possibility that the first officer may have inadvertently struck this switch with his foot as he raised his foot