Page:CAB Accident Report, Eastern Air Lines Flight 42.pdf/6

 would normally include the companionway between the cabin and the pilot's compartment. It was subsequently determined that 17 adults could be crowded into the companionway and the door to the passenger compartment closed behind them.

The aftercast of the weather situation within the area indicated a week high pressure cell centered off the North Atlantic seaboard causing on-shore winds from Maryland to Florida. A shallow trough of low pressure remained through the southeastern part of North Carolina following the dissipation of a stationary front. This trough extended west-southwestward from Cape Hatteras passing just north of Florence. Stratus overcasts with low ceilings and fog formed in the northern portion of North Carolina and late on September 6 began extending southward toward the center of the trough lino. Because of the high moisture content of the on—shore circulation, low ceilings were forecast for the middle Atlantic states with progressive lowering and fog accompanying diurnal cooling.

Weather Bureau and Company forecasts both predicted that Florence and its vicinity would maintain fairly high ceilings and good visibilities throughout the period, but that the flight could expect a gradual increase of sky cover and lowering of ceilings as it proceeded north of Florence. The subsequent analysis of the weather situation indicated that they correctly anticipated the trends throughout the area. It was determined that the visibility and sky condition in the proximity of the crash were good and that the aircraft was clearly visible to ground observers for several minutes prior to the crash. - 5 -