Page:CAB Accident Report, American Airlines Flight 1.pdf/14

 The landing gear hydraulic retracting struts were found in the fully retracted position indicating that the landing gear was in the full up position. The appearance and position of the hydro piston rod and assembly in the flap diamond linkage indicated that the flaps were in a full up position at impact. The appearance and condition of the chemical refuse tank located in the lavatory at the rear of the cabin, together with the appearance of the fuselage skin over head, showed that the aircraft had not been inverted in flight.

The appearance of the engine compartment cowl, which was protected from the main fire, together with the felt lined cockpit hatch, top cabin skin, the rear baggage compartment and fuselage skin, definitely indicated that there had been no fire in these sections prior to impact. Had any fire occurred in these sections during flight, the protecting finish on their interior portions would have shown the effects of the fire by heat, smoke, and smudge marks. Such indications were not present on any of the surfaces above mentioned.

The safety plug of the oxygen bottle was intact The outlet connection, however, was damaged by impact and all the oxygen had been discharged The valve outlet fitting Was damaged and partially melted away by fire There was no indication of malfunctioning of this unit.

An indentation was found on the under side of the left stabilizer, commencing at a point on the leading edge approximately 48 inches outboard from the butt line, extending further outboard approximately 20 inches and to the rear approximately 24 inches. The point of maximum indentation, the depth of which was about 2 inches, was located on the under skin of the leading edge about 58 inches outboard of the butt line. The skin surrounding this area of indentation contained a series of smaller impact points well distributed. It was definitely indicated by the appearance of the area, the material found deposited thereon, and the pieces of clay varying in size from chunks of 6 x 6 x 8 inches to small pellets, which lay directly underneath the area, that the indentations were caused by the clay chunks being thrown back by the propeller and the engine displacement at impact. Had the indentation on the left stabilizer leading edge and skin been caused by impact with some object while in flight, it is believed that the aircraft could have been controlled and a safe landing made. The damaged stabilizer was submitted to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics for examination and analysis. The Committee subsequently reported that it appeared that aside from damaging effects in structural strength, the most severe dent found on the stabilizer specimen would not seriously affect the flight characteristics of the airplane.

Although a number of small, medium and large pieces of human bone with portions of flesh attached had survived the fire and were found in the cockpit section, no indication of a fowl was found in the wreckage. Had a fowl struck the windshield and passed into the cockpit, it is reasonable to assume that a portion of it would have survived the fire and could have been identified. The windshield frame, including the center post, and several pieces of windshield glass were found and checked for visual evidence of fowl impact. None was found. However, if a fowl or other external object had struck the upper half of the forward windshield glass and been shunted upward over the top of the cockpit hatch, no fowl or other evidence would have been found in the wreckage. The shattered glass from the back side of the windshield could have been sprayed back into the faces and eyes of the crew, resulting in their incapacitation.

Through the courtesy of the University of Toronto and Dr. I. H. Erb, Pathologist, Coroner's Department, Toronto, the windshield frame, windshield glass and specimens of foreign material removed from the skin of the empennage, vertical fin and part of the cockpit