Page:CAB Accident Report, Braniff Airways Flight 542.pdf/6

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the aircraft. These were damaged so extensnrely that few of them were even recognizable. Nevertheless, great effort was put into studying this debris, including the remnants of flight and powerplant instruments, but this study yielded no information Significant in establishing the cause of the acoident.

The recovered flight engineer's log sheet for 2250 showed that the altitude at that time was 7,000 feet; indicated airspeed 210 knots; indicated out31de air temperature ’52? degrees, centigrade; engine and airf01l ant1—ic1ng off; and engine instruments indications were normal. The flight engineer's log sheet for 2300, which was recovered, indicated altitude 15,000 feet; indicated airspeed 275 knots ,1 1nd1cated out51de air temperature ,[15 degrees, centigrade. The engine and airf011 anti—icing systems were off; engine instrument indications appeared normal. None of these readings indicate any abnormality.

Damage to the airframe had been so great that no aircraft system, as such, surVived. In addition, impact and fire had destroyed or damaged indiszdual systems components to the extent that functional checks were generally impossible. As a result, a cuneiderable amount of time was devoted to identifying, listing and describing the damage received by systems components. It was deemed advasable to disassemble certain components thought capable of yielding useful information and, in a few instances, functional checks were possszle and were performed.

The following aircraft systems were examined to the extent poss:.b1e: hydraulic, electrical, radio, air conditioning, instrument and autopilot, control surface booster, air start, fire extinguishment, oxygen, fuel and anti—leing.

No indication of operational distress was found through exam1natlon of the hydraulic and electrical system components. The left inboard main landing Wheel had been involved in con51derable fire and it. was dismantled to permit inspection of the brake assembly. No abnormal heat patterns were noted such as might be expected from excesswe braking action.

No evidence of fire or overheating was noted during inspection of the

recovered radio components, all of which had suffered extensive impact damage. Extermination of trmasnntters and receivers reVealed the following estimated settings:

No. 1 VHF Transmitter - 130.5 1116. No. 2 VHF Transmitter - 120.? 2g 120.8 me.

No. l VHF Communcations Receiver - 130.5 me. No. 2 VHF Comcations Receiver — 120.? me.

No. 1 VHF Navigation Receiver - 110 ,5 mc. (tenths could not be determined} No. 2 VHF Navigation Receiver - 110.3 E 112.8 me.

do. 2 Omni Bearing Indicator — 166 degrees

No. l ADF Receiver — 365 kc. N . 2 ADF Receiver - 51:0 kc.

All recovered items of the air conditioning system received extensive inpact damage with the exception of the outflow control valve. The majority of air ducts