Page:CAB Accident Report, American Airlines Flight 1.pdf/22

 III.

CONCLUSION

Findings

We find, upon all of the evidence available to the Board at this time that the facts relating to the accident involving aircraft NC 25663, which occurred near St Thomas, Ontario, Canada, on October 30, 1941, are as follows

1 The accident which occurred at approximately 10 10 p m, October 30, 1941, to American Airlines' Flight 1 of that date resulted in complete destruction of aircraft NC 25663 and fatal injuries to the 17 passengers and crew of 3

2 At the time of the accident American Airlines held a currently effective certificate of public convenience and necessity and an air carrier operating certificate authorizing it to conduct the flight

3 Captain Cooper and First Officer Owens were physically qualified and held proper certificates of competency to operate as air carrier pilots over the subject route

4 Aircraft NC 25663 Was currently certificated as airworthy at the time of the accident.

5 Flight was cleared in accordance with company procedure from Buffalo, New York, to Detroit, Michigan, with Toledo, Ohio, designated as the alternate

6 At the time of departure from Buffalo, New York, and at the time of the accident the gross weight of the airplane did not exceed the permissible gross weight and its load was properly distributed

7 It the time of departure from Buffalo, New York, the airplane carried sufficient fuel to permit flight at normal cruising power to Detroit, Michigan and thereafter to permit it to proceed to its alternate airport with sufficient fuel still remaining in the tanks for about 3-1/4 hours of flight

8 Weather conditions were satisfactory for the flight and had no causative relation to the accident

9 Immediately prior to the accident the airplane was proceeding on its normal course and at normal altitude in accordance with the flight plan

10 When Flight 1 arrived in the vicinity of the point where the accident occurred, the plan, commenced to descend circling to the right and apparently banked normally for the radius are speed of the turns The diameter of the initial circle was approximately 1-1/2 miles thereafter during the descent the radius progressively diminished After completing approximately four circles, the airplane recovered from the spiral in close proximity the ground, zoomed to an altitude of about 200 to 500 feet and probably stalled It then dived to the ground, striking in a nose-down attitude at an angle of approximately 70 degrees with the horizontal, and immediately burst into flames