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- Captain Wright and First Officer Riley were physically qualified and held proper certificates of competency to operate as air carrier pilots over the route between Birmingham, Alabama, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, via intermediate points.
- Aircraft NC 13359 was currently certificated as airworthy at the time of the accident.
- Trip 143 was cleared in accordance with proper procedure from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- At the time of the departure from Knoxville, Tennessee, and at the time of the accident, the gross weight of the aircraft did not exceed the permissible gross weight.
- Trip 143 operated normally from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Charleston, West Virginia.
- The weather along the route from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was above the minimums specified for contact flight operations and had no bearing on the accident.
- At the time of departure from Charleston, West Virginia, the aircraft carried sufficient fuel to permit flight at normal cruising power for slightly more than three hours.
- Captain Wright was flying the aircraft during the take-off and at the time of the accident at Charleston, West Virginia.
- Aircraft NC 13359 and all of its equipment were functioning normally until the take-off was started as Charleston.
