- 5 -
passengers and a crew of 4 and the operation of the airplane at a standard weight of 24,546 pounds and a provisional weight of 25,346 pounds.[1]
It appears from the record that the airplane and its equipment had received the overhauls, inspections and checks which are provided for on company practice and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. American in its maintenance letter of competency is required to overhaul its aircraft at or before the completion of each 5000 hours of flight time. Since aircraft NC 25663 had logged only 3,868 hours of flight time and was relatively new, it had not reached the required time for overhaul. An engine and propeller overhaul is required at or before the completion of each 725 hours. However, it has been American's policy to use 700 hours as a normal overhaul period, and 725 hours as the maximum, for the entire power plant assembly. Each engine had accumulated 689 hours and 51 minutes since its last overhaul.
From the records of all the inspections and checks which were made of aircraft NC 25663 since the last major inspection on October 4, 1941, it appears that all reported deficiencies were promptly remedied.
American also requires its flight personnel to file at the end of each trip a pilot's maintenance report in which they make any comments they may have as to the operation of the aircraft, engines, instruments, and radio. An inspection of the maintenance reports for the last 68 trips made by NC 25663 (covering period since last major inspection) showed that they contained only a few minor criticisms. These concerned the operation of the engines and controls and it appears from these records that the necessary adjustments were promptly made. No criticisms were recorded on the pilot's maintenance report of the performance of the aircraft, engines, instruments or radio on the flight which was made by NC 25663 from Boston to Washington and return to New York on October 30, 1941, which terminated at 5:15 p.m., approximately 44 minutes prior to the departure of the airplane for Chicago.
In addition, the airplane had been given a line inspection just prior to leaving Boston on the morning of October 30 and it had been given the regular service inspections at each intermediate point. The record of these inspections indicates that the airplane and its equipment were in proper condition at the conclusion thereof.
Thus, from all the evidence available to us, we find that the airplane and its equipment had been properly maintained and were in an airworthy condition at the time of takeoff from New York for Chicago on October 30, 1941.
History of the Flight
American's Flight 1 of October 30, 1941, originating at LaGuardia Field, New York, New York, as a scheduled air carrier operation from New York to Chicago, Illinois, with
- ↑ 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. 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 has 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.
