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and structural soundness. No condition of overstress from maneuvering, gust, excessive speed, flutter, etc., can explain the type of breakage the aircraft was found to have suffered.

114.142 Ehcplosmn of the tanks and subsequent dieintegration of the plans lh.11.2.1 Explosion set off by malfunctioning of, or fire 113. the engines

The technical inquiries made into the power plants, dealt with in par. 11.2.2.2, exclude the pOSSibility that the engines may have broken down or been on fire prior to the explosion in tanks Nos. 7 and 6 and, therefore, may have been the determin- ing cause of the exploSion.

SpecifiCally, this is confirmed by the fact that:

[1] Neither the flow of air cooling the generators nor the flow of gasoline and oil to the four engines was interrupted (see par. 11.2.3.5);

[2] The fire extinguishers of the four engines were not turned on (see par. 11,2.3.5);

[3] None of the propellers was feathered (see par. 11.2.2.2). 11L.h.2.2 Explosion set off by other fires

The possubility cannot be excluded, with absolute certainty, that, prior to the explosmn, a fire may have broken out on the plane in flight and set off the explosion; however, such a possibility appears to be remote and wholly improbable.

In fact, the damage caused to the wreckage of the plane by the fire, however it occurred as a consequence of the explosion, would hardly be such as to prevent recognition of any evidence of fire occurring during normal flight, in as much as, because of the suddenness With which the entire accident took place

(see par. 1h.2, point 9), a fire of that sort would have left very characteristic, and therefore easily identifiable, marks. Yet a careful examination of all the wreckage failed to disclose any concrete and significant evidence in support of such an eventuality.

111.h.2.3 Breakdown and malfunctioning of the flight instruments and controls in general

As stated in par. 11.2.3.5, a careful examination of the plane‘s installations, equipment and controls failed to disclose any physical eVidence of breakdowns or abnormalities, as the direct or indirect cause of the explosion of the tanks, which were

not attributable to the consequences of the explosmn itself

(disintegration of the plane, fire, impact With the ground, salvage operations).