Page:CAB Accident Report, American Airlines Flight 9.pdf/14

 Captain Susott, First Officer Phillips, and Flight Stewardess Arnestad, testified at the hearing. The description of the flight which follows is based largely upon the testimony of the two pilots. The flight started to descend shortly after passing over Springfield, Illinois, and at 2:24 P. M. arrived over the Otterville, Illinois, radio range intersection (22 miles north of the Lambert-St. Louis Airport) at 2,000 feet, on instruments. At this time Airway Traffic Control gave the Captain a traffic clearance to land at Lambert-St. Louis Airport and, proceeding down the north leg of the St. Louis radio range at 1,600 feet, crossed the St. Louis range station at 2:31 P. M., still on instruments. (See Figure B, a sketch of his flight path by Captain Susott)

Captain Susott testified that he then started a standard instrument approach by making a turn to this left to go out on the east leg of the radio range at 1,600 feet. The landing gear was then extended, and, after continuing out the east leg for three minutes, a procedure turn of 180 degrees was made, and, while heading back toward the range station, the airplane descended to an altitude of 1,100 feet above mean sea level. After crossing the radio range station at this altitude, descent