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P.M. it became evident that Trip 14 was down since no replies to the broadcasts were received and since the fuel supply must necessarily be exhausted. Eastern sent out three airplanes from Miami with instructions to search the general region between West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach. These airplanes encountered low ceilings in the vicinity of Vero Beach and were obliged to confine their search to the north and south of this area. Shortly after 6:00 P.M., the weather conditions having improved, company personnel in Eastern's airplane No. 370 sighted the missing airplane and radioed its location to an Eastern ground station. Ground searching parties immediately set out from Vero Beach for the scene of the accident. Ambulances and other aids were driven as near as possible to the crashed airplane and boats were used to complete the journey. The first passengers reached the waiting ambulance about 11:00 P.M. and all the injured except the captain had been removed from the scene of the accident by 1:30 A.M., April 4. He was removed by 6:00 A.M.
The passengers stated that a few minutes after entering the dark overcast the airplane became involved in a series of very rapid ascents and descents. They further stated that after entering the turbulent air small articles including hats, blankets, etc., were thrown from the overhead shelves and at times the small articles were suspended in mid-air. Most of the passengers experienced the feeling of being held down by their safety belts and then of being forced into their seat. One of the passengers stated that he was sure the airplane made a left turn but did not spin. Another passenger who was a certificated pilot stated that the aircraft encountered some "rapid ascents" and then made a "terrific" drop. Another passenger stated that after encountering the turbulent air the left wing had a tendency to drop and that after experiencing a strong up-current he recalled a "very long dive". A student pilot who was a passenger in the airplane stated that she experienced two ascents and two descents.
Neither Captain O'Brien nor First Officer Crabtree was able to establish the exact time at which they first encountered the turbulence and we are unable, upon the basis of available testimony, to arrive at any definite determination of this question.
Weather Conditions
The pilots of four other scheduled flights of Eastern which on April 3 traversed the area in the region of the accident, testified as to the weather conditions existing at the time.
Captain Meyers was in command of Trip 10, which departed from Miami at 7:15 A.M. northbound en route to Jacksonville via West Palm Beach and Orlando. His flight plan indicated that he would cruise at 1500 feet. Trip 10 departed from West Palm Beach at 7:48 A.M. at which time weather reports showed a ceiling of 700 feet and light rain with moderate thunderstorms in the vicinity of Orlando. Captain Meyers stated that as he passed Stuart, he observed dark clouds to the north and northwest, but that visibility was good to the east, west and south. Vision from the cockpit was reduced as he proceeded north, and realizing that a storm prevailed in that area, he turned westward toward a "light spot". Shortly thereafter he encountered heavy rain and hail which he estimated to be the size of golf balls, and considerable turbulence. After encountering the turbulence, the landing gear was lowered to reduce the air speed and thus the effect of turbulence upon the airplane. While in this turbulence, strong up-drafts and downdrafts were encountered causing the airplane to descend from 2000 to 500 feet. The captain stated that after starting a turn to get back out of the storm, the airplane "slued in its own course" and "... turned 180 degrees in
