Portal:Civil Aeronautics Board

“ At the time of the accident American Airlines, Inc., a Delaware corporation was operating as an air carrier under a certificate of public convenience and necessity and an air carrier operating certificate, both issued pursuant to the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended. ”

“ The wreckage of the Airliner was found approximately two miles west of the Army Airport at Palm Springs and about three miles south of the center of the airway. Parts of the aircraft were scattered over on area about two miles from the main portion of the wreckage. The impact with the ground and subsequent fire resulted in such extensive damage to the aircraft that little could be learned from an examination. ”

“ Turbulence is common in the area concerned either during strong winds through San Gorgonio Pass or in unstable air, but as the winds were light to well above the mountain and stable air existed, there appears to have been little likelihood of anything but very mild turbulence existing at the times of the collision. ”

“ Mrs. Margaret Caldwell, who witnessed the accident from approximately the same point, and Raymond W. Martin, who as previously stated, had served as an airplane spotter, saw the collision from a closer point of observation. Both testified that just before the impact the Bomber was maneuvering above and behind the Airliner and the latter, after the impact, fell off to the left, then turned or spun slowly several times until it disappeared beyond obstructions to their view. ”

“ No change in an approved flight plan shall be made without the prior approval of the airway traffic control center concerned, unless an emergency situation arises which requires immediate decision and action or unless weather conditions make it necessary for the pilot to effect change in order to continue flight in accordance with contact flight rules ”

“ It involved a collision between an aircraft of U. S. registry NC 16017 and a U.S. Army Bomber B-34, at an altitude of about 9000 feet, on Civil Green Airway Number 5. At the time of the accident Douglas Aircraft NC 16017 was operating in scheduled air carrier service from Burbank, California, to Phoenix, Arizona, as part of Trip 28 of American Airlines, Inc. [2] The B-34 was being operated by the Ferrying Command of the U.S. Army Air Forces [3] on a ferrying flight from Long Beach, California, to Palm Springs, California. ”

“ These certification authorized it to engage in air transportation with respect to persons, property, and mail between various points including Burbank, California; Phoenix and Tuscon, Arizona; El Paso, Fort Worth, and Dallas, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Washington, D. C.; and New York, New York.
Flight Personnel
On American Trip 28, the crew consisted of Charles Fred Pedly, captain, Louis Frederick Reppert, Jr. ”