Page:CAB Accident Report, Braniff Airways Flight 542.pdf/8

 _ B _

The pllot valves from tanks 1, 2, and h were recovered. Only the No. b valve could be tested and 1t functloned normally. No Slgns of pre—ex1st1ng abnormalities were noted durlng examinatlon of these valves.

The fuel dump valves were 1mpact damaged but were 1n the closed positlon. One tank shutoff was found 1n the closed pos:t10n and one emergency shutoff valve was found 1n a partlally closed p051t10n but was free to move. Three electrlcallj operated shutoff valves were found mlnus thelr motors. One was closed and two were open.

The fuel gages of the fue13ng panel were exanlned by the manufacturer who determlned thElP flnal 1nd1catlons by two separate technlques, one of whlch 1nvolann gear meaSHrements. The results of thlS method are con51dered to have an estlmated accuracy of plus or minus 62 pounds and were as follows

No. l tank - 3,960 pounds, No. 2 tank - 3,610 pounds

No. 3 tank - h,080 pounds, No. h tank - h,080 pounds

Insufflclent recovery was made of ant1-1c1ng system components to provlde any useful 1nformat10n.

Powerplants

A great amount of the powerplant 1nvest1gat1ve effort was directed toward determlnlng 1f a failure or malfunctlon of any of the englnes, propellers, or thelr a35001ated systems had contrlbuted to or caused the acoldent. Thls actlvlty covered the followlng areas:

1. 011 systems for Slgnlflcant contaminatlon.

2. Propeller reductlon gear and accessory drlve systems for gear and/or bearlng fallures.

3. TOrquemeters for rotatlonal Interference.

h. Power SGCthF rotors for overwtemperature indications, bearlng failures or rotor fallures

5. Fuel pumps and fuel controls for fallures.

6. Propeller pltch orange mechanlsms and controls for fallure. [stalled examlnatlons 1n these respects did not reveal any ev1dence of fallure or nmlfunctlon of the powerplants prlor to the start of the separation of the No. 1

englne power sectlon at the alr 1nlet housing to the compressor spilt line.

The 1nvest1gatlon of the powerplants as well as other 1nvest1gatlons revealed spec1f1c 1tems whlch warrant dlscu831on.

Some ultnesses reported hearlng nolses (thlS subject W111 be detalled later 1n thls report), which from thelr varlous locations suggested p0551ble engine overspeedang. Exalrnnatlons of the engines and propellers were made 1n detall for