Portal:Civil Aeronautics Board

“ Since First Officer Loveless had recognized this error, and since Captain Cann had received the erroneous weather report, it is difficult to understand why they failed to request a verification of the report by Eastern's ground station at Jacksonville. It is a matter of common knowledge to airline pilots that the United States Weather Bureau reports visibility in 1/4-mile fractions when the visibility is about 1/4 mile and, when less than 1/4 mile it is reported as 1/8 mile or zero. ”

“ An accident involving aircraft NC 19970 occurred at the Savannah Municipal Airport, Savannah, Georgia, on October 10, 1941, about 2:10 a.m. [1] while the aircraft was operating in scheduled air carrier service between New York, New York, and Miami, Florida, as Trip 5 of Eastern Air Lines, Inc. [2] The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. At the time of the accident the airplane was carrying five passengers and a crew of three. None of the passengers or members of the crew sustained any injuries. ”

“ When an airplane takes off with a weight in excess of the designated standard weight, the weight of the airplane must be reduced by gasoline consumption, prior to arrival at its next scheduled stop, to the extent necessary to bring it within the standard weight for landing. If sufficient gasoline had not been consumed between time of take-off and any emergency landing, gasoline can be dumped by the use of tested and approved dump valves in order to reduce the total weight to the approved weight for landing. ”

“ Eastern's Trip 5 of October 9, 1941, originating at LaGuardia Field, New York, New York, and operating as a scheduled air carrier flight from New York to Miami, Florida, with scheduled intermediate stops at Washington, D. C., Charleston, South Carolina, Jacksonville, Florida, and West Palm Beach, Florida, was due to depart LaGuardia Field at 9:00 p.m. ”

“ This flight plan called for cruising at 6000 feet. Authorization for instrument flight was approved by Airway Traffic Control [5] at Washington with Raleigh, North Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, as alternates. At the time of departure from Washington, 10:50 p.m., the airplane carried a fuel supply of 800 gallons of gasoline and 44 gallons of oil, which was sufficient to permit flight at normal cruising power to Charleston and thereafter for about five hours and twenty minutes, thus making available to Captain Cann a choice between Raleigh and Savannah, the alternate airports. ”

“ Upon the basis of all the evidence accumulated in the investigation and at the hearing, the Board now makes its report in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended. ”

“ Harllee BranchEdward Warner
↑ All times mentioned herein are Eastern Standard unless otherwise indicated ↑ Hereinafter referred to as "Eastern" ↑ Hereinafter referred to as the "Board" ↑ The "standard weight" of an airplane is the maximum allowable weight for landing, while the "provisional weight" of an airplane is the maximum allowable weight for take-off. ”