Page:Aviation Accident Report, United Air Lines Flight 4.pdf/8

- 7 - Witnesses who saw the airplane just before the crash testified that it was flying in a southeasterly direction and that it appeared to continue approximately on a straight course until it crashed into the hillside. One witness testified that it appeared to be turning to the right as it passed out of sight behind a ridge just before the crash.

Weather Conditions

The weather conditions were satisfactory for the flight. In the vicinity of Salt Lake City the sky was overcast with light to moderate rain. The United States Weather Bureau reports issued at the Salt lake City Airport indicate that at both 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. the weather was observed as follows: ceiling 1600 feet, overcast, with scattered clouds at 700 feet; visibility unlimited, except that it was restricted to 3 miles to the southeast by light smoke; light rain; wind north-northwest 20 m.p.h.; temperature 40 degrees and dew point 38 degrees. The Weather Bureau observer who was on duty at the time testified that between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. there was thin passing through the beam of the ceiling light at an altitude of about 700 feet. At 10:12 the patches of scud were large enough so that a special report was issued in which the ceiling was reported as 700 feet. The observer stated that this condition improved so that at 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. the observations were previously mentioned.

The witnesses who observed the airplane in flight testified that it was definitely beneath the overcast and that their view of it was never