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practically its length flat." Captain Meyers further stated, "It felt as though something took hold of the tail of the plane and turned it a full 180 degrees in practically its length and I did not have anything to do with it. It was all we could do to stop it and I had already told my copilot to get on my controls with me. The controls became heavy and stiff. We were able to straighten that out but we started a fast descent. I saw 2000 feet a minute down on my rate of climb indicator and ended up at 500 feet with full power on; and at the bottom of that descent I called for gear up, with the hope of having additional speed to help stop that descent in case I had not stopped it at that time. The gear was brought up. We pulled on and out with full power and were able to climb back, but at that time we were headed back out of the storm and were gradually running into smooth air."
Captain Meyers got out of the severe storm area near Sebring,[1] Florida, and at approximately 8:30 A.M. instructed his copilot to transmit the message previously referred to, requesting that Trip 14 be held at West Palm Beach. Captain Meyers stated that his "intention was to try to stop that trip before he (O'Brien) got into it (the storm)" and the heavy turbulence. Captain Meyers then proceeded west, skirting the southern edge of the storm. This westerly course was held unil a point west of Avon Park, Florida, was reached, a deviation of approximately 65 miles west of the normal course. Captain Meyers stated that he then turned and proceeded eastward skirting the storm to the south, with the intention, if it were not possible to go around the storm to the east, to return to West Palm Beach and wait until there was a change of weather. This easterly course was held until he arrived at the east coast of Florida about ten miles south of Fort Pierce. Since the storm extended out to sea he radioed West Palm Beach at 9:15 A.M. that he was returning. He landed at West Palm Beach at 9:40 A.M.
Captain Meyers testified that an examination of the airplane while it was on the ground at West Palm Beach did not disclose any damage or dents on the leading edge of the wings, as a result of encountering hail, nor did he observe any effects of hail on other parts of the airplane. He remained at West Palm Beach about an hour and a half. Then Trip 10 proceeded at an altitude of 1500 feet up the east coast of Florida past Stuart where, according to the captain's testimony, it encountered rain and low clouds and flew on instruments for about ten minutes. After passing Vero Beach he ran into scattered clouds and the trip proceeded contact to Orlando. The flight was uneventful from Orlando to Jacksonville.
Captain Whipprecht, in command of Trip 40, departed from Miami at 9:00 A.M., northbound en route to Jacksonville via Orlando. The flight plan called for cruising at 3000 feet. He passed over West Palm Beach at 9:27 A.M. Near Jupiter Light (about 15 miles north of West Palm Beach), he intercepted a radio report that Trip 10 was returning to West Palm Beach. As he passed Stuart, at approximately 9:38 A.M., he saw thunderstorms ahead. At that time the visibility was unlimited to the west and south. He headed west with the expectation of circling the storm. While flying west of Fort Pierce he saw what he described as two small tornadoes.[2] He descended to 1500 feet, and encountered moderate turbulence at this altitude. He finally turned north at a point where conditions appeared better and arrived at Orlando at 10:54 A.M. At the time he turned north, he was approximately 45 miles west of his course,
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