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After the aircraft came to rest Purser Robesky was able to free himself from his seat, which had become detached from the floor and had inverted. He immediately opened the main cabin door, through which the passengers were deplaned. First Officer Flanigan was thrown clear of the wreckage and was found strapped in his seat. Captain Craig, after freeing his foot which was caught in the debris near the right rudder pedal, left the aircraft through a large opening which had been made in the left front of the nose.
After the accident it was learned that at 2017 the Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Center heard the following transmission from Flight 308 on 124.0 mega-cycles: "Santa Maria, Pacific 308, we're coming around and land." This was the last message from the flight. The Santa Maria Airport does not have a control tower.
The weather at the time of the accident was: 1,500 feet overcast; Visibility 7 to 8 miles; wind west at 6 knots.
Examination of Wreckage
All of the aircraft structure, powerplants, and propellers were found either near the main wreckage Site or on or adgacent to runway 30 Parts found on the runway were from the left engine, its cowling, and from the No. 5 cylinder and associated structure.
The left engine was torn free of the aircraft by impact forces. It was found minus its cowling in the vicinity of the main wreckage Examination disclosed that the No 5 cylinder had separated from its base at a point about 1-3/4 inches above the base flange or near the fourth or fifth fin from the bottom of the cylinder. This area is covered by cylinder baffles and is in the rear row of twin rows of cylinders. The No. 5 cylinder was found near the main wreckage and it is believed that it renamed in the cowling until the left wing contacted the ground and the aircraft started to cartwheel to the left; both valves and spark plugs were in position. The piston parts and piston pin with a portion of the connecting rod attached were found on the runway. The piston head had a deep circular gash in it which fitted the broken edge of the cylinder wall of that portion which separated from the bass. The piston parts bore evidence of having been subjected to severe forces which had broken and cut the piston into various pieces. The engine's rear power section was severely damaged. The case was punctured, the link rods were broken, and the cylinder skirts were flared. The engine's rear master rod and crankshaft could not be moved.
The front row master and link rods were in normal condition. There was evidence of fire around the rear and upper portions of the engine and the accessory cowling behind these areas. The left engine's cowling, both man and accessory section, was damaged by the failure of the engine and by impact with the ground. Seven small round rubber mounts used as cowling supports were found on the runway; the first was found only 1,900 feet from the takeoff end. A rectangular rubber rocker box pad, which matched the cowl fastenings at the No. 5 cylinder position Dzus fasteners, a cowling hook, a ten-inch section of the heater ram air scoop, and a section of cowl flap were also found on the runway. The accessory cowling section was the more extensively damaged. This section bore evidence of intense heat and some blistering. A section of the top of this
