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this disturbance" while headed west at an altitude of about 2000 feet; that while they were ascending in the "core", the airplane turned approximately 270 degrees to the left in a flat attitude; and that at the time the ascent was stopped they were headed approximately north (10 degrees).
The captain testified that during the third and last downdraft they broke out of the overcast. As they broke into the clear, according to his testimony, the air speed was between 190 and 200 m.p.h. and he had the control wheel fairly well back and was using a normal amount of power in an effort to hold altitude. O'Brien stated that he saw a black shaded area ahead of him which he believed to be trees, and that he immediately pulled back on the control wheel and used the left rudder but did not use any aileron control since any effort to bank the airplane would have resulted in the wing making contact with what appeared to be trees. The captain stated that this was the last thing he remembered.
Upon being questioned, Captain O'Brien stated that he was of the opinion that they "broke out in a downwind position" (heading) and in a "heavy layer of air" which reduced air speed from 190 m.p.h. to approximately 100 m.p.h. and that the sudden decrease in air speed reduced their chances of gaining altitude. Captain O'Brien stated that he was positive that "the airplane did not go into a spin". He also testified that during all of the maneuvers the turn indicator needle was approximately centered.
Captain O'Brien could not fix the time at which they entered the storm area, nor could he describe the weather conditions while they were in the turbulent air. This was due to the fact that he was directing all of his attention to the instrument panel and the airplane controls. O'Brien stated that the elapsed time in which they were in the thunderstorm was very brief but that during the interval it was impossible to have complete control of the turning radius of the airplane and control of the ascent and descent at all times.
The captain stated that he did not request the copilot to assist him on the controls nor did he observe the copilot on the controls while they were in the turbulent air. He also stated that he could not determine from the feel of the controls whether the copilot had assisted him, because when "in that type of violent air with all the pressure you have on the control surfaces of the Douglas, it is quite hard to tell whether somebody is on the controls with you."
First Officer Crabtree stated that shortly after going on instruments they encountered extreme turbulence and that O'Brien, who was on the controls, started a left turn from a heading of 340 degrees. He testified that the turn had progressed to about 270 degrees when they experienced a severe bump which was immediately followed by the airplane being carried in an updraft to an altitude of about 4500 feet. Crabtree stated that while in the updraft the rate of climb indicator showed an ascent of about 2000 feet a minute and that the air-speed indicator went past a reading of 250 m.p.h. He further stated that he closed both throttles and assisted the captain on the control wheel in an effort to reduce this high air speed. The first officer testified that after the air speed had been reduced to a normal indication of approximately 140 m.p.h. and the airplane was again in level flight he released the controls to the captain and, after securing O'Brien's permission, lowered the landing gear.
Crabtree testified that the air at this time was comparatively smooth and that O'Brien continued in the left turn in an effort to get out of the storm. According to the first
