- 4 -
The Weather Bureau forecast issued at 5:00 A.M. covering the period of 5:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. indicated that over northern and central Florida there would be broken to overcast cloudiness at 2000 feet to 4000 feet with rain showers and scattered local thundershowers.[1] The forecast further indicated that by mid-morning lower cloudiness would form at 2600 feet to 3000 feet over southern Florida. The trip forecast made at 5:20 A.M. by the meteorologist of Eastern at Miami indicated scattered thundershowers from Vero Beach to Jacksonville with light to occasionally moderate turbulence. There was no substantial difference between the forecast of the Weather Bureau and Eastern's forecast. Neither of these forecasts indicated the existence of abnormal conditions.[2]
The company flight dispatcher in charge, stationed in New York City, issued authority for the clearance[3] of Trip 14 from Miami to Jacksonville via West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach. Captain O'Brien's flight plan specified contact flight from Miami to West Palm Beach with an estimated flying time of 28 minutes. In accordance with this authority, Trip 14 was cleared and the 6:35 A.M. weather sequence[4] was attached to the clearance. The trip departed from Miami about 7:45 A.M. and proceeded normally to West Palm Beach in accordance with the flight plan.
An intermediate clearance was received at West Palm Beach which contained the 7:35 A.M. weather sequence[4] from Miami to Jacksonville. Captain O'Brien's flight plan covering that portion of the trip from West Palm Beach to Daytona Beach called for instrument flight with a cruising altitude of 3000 feet above sea level and with an estimated time of one hour and five minutes. Savannah, Georgia, was designated as the alternate airport.
The total weight of the airplane on departure from West Palm Beach including mail, express company material, 450 gallons of gasoline, 44 gallons of oil, 13 passengers, and a crew of 3, was approximately 22,330 pounds and thus well within the approved standard weight. From the evidence it appears that the airplane was loaded so that the center of gravity was well within the limitations prescribed by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.[5]
Trip 14 departed from the ramp at West Palm Beach at 8:16 A.M. and took off at 8:20 A.M. Following the take-off the airplane had climbed to an altitude of 3000 feet and the flight proceeded toward Daytona Beach. The flight steward served breakfast to those passengers who desired it, requesting them to finish the meal as soon as possible because rough air might be encountered within a short time.
About 8:30 A.M., approximately 10 minutes after Trip 14 had departed from West Palm Beach, Eastern's Trip 10, which had departed from Miami at 7:15 A.M. for Jacksonville via Orlando, Florida, was a short distance southwest of Vero Beach. Captain Meyers,
5—30827
- ↑ See Appendix A for Weather Bureau Forecast.
- ↑ See Appendix B for Eastern's Weather Forecast.
- ↑ A clearance is a company authorization for a flight to depart. It is signed by or for the dispatcher and also by the captain and incorporates current weather reports, load manifests, flight plan, etc.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 See Appendix C for 6:35 A.M., 7:35 A.M., 8:35 A.M., and 9:35 A.M., weather sequence reports.
- ↑ The center of gravity limitations prescribed by the Administrator for this airplane were: Forward, 11 percent; rearward, 28 percent with the landing gear extended, and 31 percent with the landing gear retracted.
