Page:CAB Accident Report, Eastern Air Lines Flight 21.pdf/9

 clear Trip 21 for a non-stop instrument flight from Washington, D. C., to Candler Field, Atlanta, Georgia. This clearance and flight plan were approved by the Airway Traffic Control at Washington, D. C., and Atlanta, Georgia. At Washington the aircraft was refueled to depart with 650 gallons of gasoline which was sufficient for the trip from Washington to Atlanta at normal cruising power and, in case of emergency, provided a sufficient reserve to return from Atlanta to Charlotte, the designated alternate terminal, arriving at that point with more than 45 minutes fuel remaining in the tanks.

Trip 21 departed the Washington-Hoover Airport at 9:05 p.m. (EST) and reported over Mason Springs, Maryland, the first check point, at 9:22 p.m. (EST). As the flight proceeded southward toward Atlanta, its positions were given by radio over "fixes" at Richmond, Virginia; South Boston, Virginia; Greensboro, North Carolina; the Charlotte, North Carolina, radio range intersection; and Spartanburg, South Carolina. These messages were all received and acknowledged by either the company radio operator at Washington, D. C., or Atlanta, Georgia. The position reports show that Trip 21 passed over these various fixes within three minutes of the estimated time shown on Captain Perry's flight plan. Just prior to reaching the Stone Mountain fan marker, which is located on the northeast leg of the Atlanta radio range 17 miles from the Atlanta range station, the company radio operator at Atlanta called Trip 21 and advised: "EAL Trip 21 cleared to Atlanta Tower. Number one to approach. Change to day [frequency][frequency]. [sic]