_ 9 - Valley. The airport had no permanent tower; however, at the time of the accident a temporary FAA control tower was in operation. The tower had been set up to handle the heavy VFR traffic incident to an air show, and did not have the capability of handling IFR departures. Accordingly, pilots were re- ceiving their IFR clearances from the Thermal FSS after departing Palm Springs. 1.11 Flight Recorder
The aircraft was not required to have a flight recorder, and there was none installed. 1.12 wreckage
The aircraft crashed apprOXimately 13 miles east of the Pahm Springs Airport at a terrain elevation of 1,180 feet. Impact of the aircraft occurred on the relatively flat sand, rock, and gravel surface of a hilltop which was somewhat lower than the surrounding terrain. The initial impact made three distinct interconnected ground scars aligned on a 005-185 degree bearing. It was determined that the center scar was caused by the fuselage and engines, and the outer scars by the Wing-tip fuel tanks. The aircraft attitude at im- pact was approximately 55 degrees nosedown, With a nearly vertical left bank. The top of the aircraft was to the west. The wreckage distribution pattern was fan-shaped in a northerly direction for an estimated distance of 2,500 feet. The dirt throwout was symmetrical to the east and West.
The landing gear, flaps and spoilers were determined to have been re-
tracted at impact. wreckage examination indicated that the aircraft was intact
at impact, and there was no inflight fire or eprOSion. Those sections of the
