Page:CAB Accident Report, Pennsylvania-Central Airlines Flight 142.pdf/10

 First Officer Bininger testified that during the approach, and after the captain's order, he lowered the flaps to the full position and then directed all of his attention to the calling of air speed. Since he was directing all of this attention to the instrument panel he did not recall the altitude or speed of the airplane as it crossed the boundary of the airport, and he was further unable to determine with any degree of accuracy the air speed of the airplane at the time it first made contact with the runway. First Officer Bininger was unaware of any brake failure and stated that the first time he realized that it was possible that they might encounter difficulty was when the captain applied full power to the right engine in an attempt to groundloop the airplane. The first officer further testified that during the attempted groundloop, upon instructions from the captain, he raised the flaps and was of the opinion that the flaps were in the up position at the time they skidded down the embankment.

Captain James C. Graham, Chief Pilot, Southern Division, PCA, was a passenger on the flight in question. He was seated in the cabin in the first seat in the single row on the right side. He stated that the trip from Pittsburgh to Morgantown was normal and that from his position in the cabin the landing appeared to be normal. At the time the airplane made contact with the runway, Captain Graham estimated that they were appoximately 900 feet from the northeast end of the runway. He stated that after the landing had been effected he paid no more attention to the progress of the airplane until power was applied to the right engine. Captain Graham stated that ho then looked out of the window and could see that the pilot was trying to groundlcop the airplane. He testified that during the approach