Page:CAB Accident Report, TWA Flight 891.pdf/12

 (2)

-12- [3] presence of carbon monoxide;

[b] concurrence of alcoholic factors.

0n July'30 Prof. CarallaZZio submitted the following concluSions:

"The causes of the death of Messrs. Stanton, Davies and Grade are to be identified with a complex traumatism which produced multiple fractures (skull, ribs, limbs, palms, etc.) and inJuries to internal organs (brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc.); the traumatologic View suggests injuries from precipitation from a high altitude and subsequent burning of the aircraft; the autopsy did not disclose any intrinSic or extrinsic elements in the bodies which might suggest the concurrence of other injurious factors in causing death (see Annex V-2)."

All bodies were found in the plane's fuselage, with the exception of one which lay in the immediate vicmity of the aircraft and, its clothes burned by the flames, showed burns over the entire surface, wounds, fractures, and multiple injuries, all of which leads to the assumption that this body was ejected from the plane at the time of the impact and as a result of it.

The bodies were found bunched together; in fact, some of them seemed to be embracing each other as if, while still alive, they had realized the impending great danger and imminent death.

The members of the crew, located in the front section of the plane,

showed traumatic injuries more severe than those suffered by the passengers because, by reason of their position, they had taken the brunt of the impact. The passengers showed endence of injuries from combustion and carbonization greater than those suffered by the members of the crew because, by reason of their peeition, they had been more exposed to the action of the flames. Both the members of the crew and the passengers showed complex mortal injuries of such gravity as is rarely seen in air crashes.

The statements of those who were first in bringing help to the scene of the crash were to the effect that, although it was virtually impossible to get close to the burning plane, they did not see or hear any sign of life coming from it.

At the time of recovery of the bodies the passengers as well as those of th crew members were still wearing the safety belts, for which reason many of them suffered mJUI‘ieS to the grow, the lower abdomen, and the perineum.

(3) The injuries suffered by the passengers and the members of the crew

consisted of z

{1] Deformation of Various kind of all, or almost all, sections of the body, partly by carbonization and destruction of the soft parts and partly by fragmentation of the skull, ribs, pelvis, limbs, etc.

[2] Traumatic collapse, in various degrees but always very considerable, of the brain, heart, lungs, spleen, liver, kidneys, etc.