- 4 -
and flaps extended, take-offs and landings, and various other maneuvers required of airline pilots. Assistant Chief Pilot Boyd for American at LaGuardia Field, on October 29, 1941, certified that Owens was qualified to perform the duties of a first officer. Mr Owens was designated a first officer on that date.
First Officer Owens had taken the physical examination required by Civil Air Regulations on September 19, 1941, and a company examination on July 26, 1941, both of which indicated that he was in a satisfactory physical condition. Prior to departure from New York on Flight 1, Owens had had a rest period of approximately 29 hours.
Thus, it appears from the evidence that both Captain Cooper and First Officer Owens were physically qualified, held the proper certificates, and by reason of their training and experience, were qualified for the flight and equipment involved.
Miss Mary E Blackley aged 27, had been employed by American since February 10, 1941. She graduated from the nursing course at St Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D. C. in 1938, and after satisfactorily completing the company stewardess training course on April 10, 1941, was placed on duty as an air stewardess.
Airplane and Equipment
The airplane involved in the accident, aircraft NC 25663 was a Douglas DC-3, Serial No. 2207 It was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., of Santa Monica, California. It was completed on March 16, 1940, and was delivered to American by the manufacturers on March 21 1940. The airplane had accumulated a total of approximately 3868 hours of flying time. At the time of the accident it was equipped with two Wright Cyclone G-102 engines, rated at 1100 horse power each. The left engine, Serial No 22863, had accumulated a total of about 11,027 hours. This engine was originally a G-2 engine and was converted to a G-102 on March 15 1940 so that the horse power could be increased from 1000 to 1100. In order to make the conversion, Wright Aeronautical Corporation, the manufacturer, supplied the necessary parts, including all link rods and master rods, crankcase and cylinders. This engine had accumulated a total of about 3811 hours since it was converted to a G-102 model. The right engine, Serial No 34464, was originally and remained a G-102 model, and had a total of about 2633 hours
The engines were equipped with Hamilton Standard constant speed hydromatic, full-feathering propellers. The left propeller hub and blades each had accumulated a total of about 3876 hours. The right propeller hub and two blades each had a total of about 7354 hours. The third blade had a total of about 4808 hours.
Complete de-icing equipment was installed on the airplane as well as a full complement of the necessary instruments and radio equipment required by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. In addition, the airplane was equipped with a Sperry aircraft gyropilot, model A-2.
At the time of the accident aircraft NC 25663, equipped as above described, held a currently effective airworthiness certificate which authorized the transportation of
