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of the aircraft's radio equipment did not indicate malfunctioning or failure of any of the radio equipment during flight.
The airplane came to rest in the swamp at a point where the water was approximately 2½ feet deep. It was headed in an easterly direction (approximately 80 degrees). Inspection at the scene of the accident indicated that at the time of impact with the water the airplane was approximately level longitudinally and laterally, but was skidding to the right, with little forward speed. These conclusions are derived from the fact that the right and left landing gears were sheared from the airplane and were found approximately 40 feet to the left of the left wing tip. Both engines were also torn from their mountings and the left engine came to rest just forward and about 14 feet to the left of the nacelle in which it had been mounted. The right engine came to rest under the left wing tip and the examination of the undersurfaces of the wings indicated that after it was broken from its mounting the airplane actually passed over this engine traveling sidewise.
Examination of the surrounding terrain further substantiates the conclusion that the airplane was traveling in a southerly direction (sidewise) with little forward speed. A tree on an island approximately 160 feet north of the left wing tip had been very recently broken. There was a deep impression on the under-surface of the left stabilizer which indicated that it had struck this tree, and there were rubber markings upon the broken portions of the tree which also indicated that the leading edge of the stabilizer, which is covered with a rubber guard, had caused the break. The damage to the airplane indicates that it was not traveling at a high velocity at the time it struck the water.
This airplane carried a flight analyzer[1] (barograph), the purpose of which is to automatically record the altitude at which the airplane has been flown. The instrument records this information by an ink marking upon a barograph card made of specially designed paper by the manufacturer of the barograph. The ink supplied by the manufacturer of the instrument, when used in conjunction with the card, makes a marking that is virtually water proof.
The flight analyzer installed in NC 21727 was broken from its mounting and was found immersed in water on the floor of the companionway between the cockpit and the cabin door. Examination of the flight analyzer card did not reveal any markings to indicate the altitudes at which the airplane had been flown. This card was sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and their laboratory tests failed to bring out any markings, thus indicating that the instrument had not been in operation during the flight. This conclusion is further substantiated by the fact that Trip 14 departed from Miami at 7:45 A.M. and even though the water may have washed away those ink markings made just prior to the crash before they had become dry, it is reasonable to assume that had the flight analyzer been working the ink markings made during the early part of the trip i.e., Miami to West Palm Beach, would have dried into the card and not have been obliterated by the water.
Although the flight analyzer was not required by regulation to be carried at the time
- ↑ Section 61.341 of the Civil Air Regulations, which requires that all air carrier aircraft having a gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds used in scheduled air transportion of passengers be equipped with instruments for automatically recording altitudes while in flight, was passed by the Board on February 21, 1941, and will become effective on April 1, 1942.
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