Page:CAB Accident Report, Eastern Air Lines Flight 42.pdf/5

 of the fire originating within the rear cargo compartment. In general the origin of the fire can be fixed in the area of the right side of the rear baggage compartment, the lavatory and possibly the adjacent portion of the buffet. Apparently flames, sparks and thick smoke were being forced into the tail cone of the fuselage from where they extended into the stabilizers. Fire was so intense in the right stabilizer as to burn through the rear spar-web fabric covering and ignite the right elevator in flight.

Nothing in the wreckage indicated malfunctioning or mechanical failure of any part of the airplane other than that caused by the fire. Both throttles were back, the plaster switch was off and both propellers were set near low pitch at the time of final impact. No fire existed in the front part of the fuselage or in the engine nacelles until after impact which caused ignition of the fuel. The fuel dump Valves were not used nor was the engine fire extinguisher. Wheels and flaps were retracted and the right landing light was on. The elevator tabs were found deflected and the indicator on the pedestal showed a 10° nose-up setting with the tab control wheel being jammed. Two hand fire extinguishers of a carbon dioxide type were located in the vicinity of the wreckage and their appearance indicated that they had been used prior to impact.

Search for articles which might have started the fire was unfruitful. The only foreign items located were pieces of glass identified as cordial bottle found among the burned remains of the lavatory. Both the chutes for which are located aft of the baggage compartment, were found burned and away from the main wreckage. It was established that they were pulled out of their chutes as the airplane crashed through the trees.

The bodies of the Flight Attendant, the First Officer and all passengers were located in the front part of the wreckage which - 4 -