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CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of all of the facts, conditions and circumstances known to the Board at this time, it is concluded that failure of the left, or possibly both wing tips, and or the horizontal tail surfaces occurred in the air during a severe pull-up. However no definite conclusion can be drawn from the evidence as to whether the pull-up caused by operation of the controls by the crew or by some other forces beyond, their control. Due to the lack at any plausible theory for the latter, it seems more probable that the maneuver was initiated by the crew, possibly in an attempt to avoid collision with a bird, another aircraft, or some object which they saw or thought they saw.
| PROBABLE CAUSE: | Failure of the left, or possibly both wing tips, and of the horizontal tail surfaces as a result of a severe pull-up which caused unusual and abnormally high air loads. The reason for the pull-up maneuver was not-determined. |
APPROVED:
/s/ L. Welch Pogue
L. Welch Pogue
/s/ Edward Warner
Edward Warner
/s/ Harllee Branch
Harllee Branch
/s/ Oswald Ryan
Oswald Ryan
/s/ Josh Lee
Josh Lee
