III. The Investigation:
The examination of the wreckage was rendered difficult due to the fact that the major portion of the aircraft was consumed by fire or damaged beyond the possibility of accurate analysis. However, it was determined that both engines were delivering power at the time of impact and that the propellers were set within cruising pitch limits. The landing gear and flaps were retracted. Two radio receivers were found to have been tuned to the Pittsburgh Range. All records normally contained within the aircraft including the flight plan and flight log were destroyed in the impact and subsequent fire.
During the morning of April 14, 1945, a high pressure cell of polar continental air was centered over eastern North Dakota moving in an easterly direction at approximately 10 - 15 mph. A cold front was projected through southern Ohio, across Pennsylvania and into New England, the polar continental air mass underrunning a tropical maritime air mass. The front moved southeastward during the day and passed Morgantown approximately two and a half hours before Flight 122 departed Pittsburgh. The winds behind the front were northerly and the cold air mass was generally stable. Inasmuch as considerable moisture prevailed over the area, the temperature-dew point spread of the columair was very narrow and the lifting caused by the terrain was sufficient to produce light fog and low collinge with light rain behind the front. With relatively light wind prent, the situation was destined to persist over a period of several hours after the passage of the front and did, in fact, last until wall into the following morning.
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