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to recover immediately to level flight and to begin a bank to the right which became progressively steeper. The right bank continued until the aircraft was inverted, at which time the nose dropped and a yaw to the left was observed. N 7514A then continued to roll to the right in a nosedown configuration, variously described as from 30 degrees to vertical. The aircraft emerged from the right bank with the wings level, approximately 20 degrees to the left of the course from which the maneuver started. Investigation revealed the aircraft struck the ground in a wings-level attitude, in a nearly stalled condition, yawed to the left approximately 12 degrees, with considerable and nearly symmetrical power. The attitude was approximately 12 degrees nosedown but the angle of impact, which was the result of sink rate, was approximately 26 degrees. A severe kerosene-fed fire followed impact. Weather at the time was good and not a factor in this accident.
One eyewitness, a private pilot, was flying a J-3 Cub airplane and was practicing takeoffs and landings from a small field located approximately one-half mile from the impact site. This witness testified that he was flying his airplane on a southbound heading at an altitude of approximately 300 feet when he observed the Boeing 707 to his left at an estimated altitude of 600 feet. He observed the 707 start a shallow turn to the left (south) and estimated the separation between the two aircraft as approximately 800 to 1,000 feet. He testified that he did not feel concerned about the possibility that the two aircraft were on a collision course and believed no evasive maneuvers were required.
N 7514A crashed and burned in a nearly level potato field approximately three miles northeast of the Peconic River Airport. The wreckage area was confined to approximately the wing span of the aircraft in width and 1-1/2 times the length of the aircraft, with a few components strewn in the direction of travel nearly 500 feet from the point of initial impact.
The fuselage broke up into small sections at impact, the sections below the floorline were compressed front to rear and were shorn rearward. Nearly all of the fuselage sections forward of the rear passenger loading door were consumed by fire. No semblance of a recognizable cockpit or passenger cabin remained; the identifiable pieces from both were scattered throughout the wreckage area. The wing outer panels broke off just inboard of the outboard nacelles and were partially consumed by fire. The inboard panels were broken into several sections with the upper skin sections receiving less heat damage than the lower sections. The horizontal tall surfaces remained attached to the tall cone and received relatively little impact damage and no fire damage. The vertical fin and the rudder broke from the fuselage but were intact except for fire damage and secondary impact damage near the tip. Ground impact was along a direction of approximately 282 degrees magnetic.
Investigation also revealed the landing gear was fully extended and that all sections of the wing flaps were extended 30 degrees at impact. The leading edge flap sections were found in the fully extended positions. All flight control surfaces were accounted for in the wreckage but their positions at impact could not be established. The stabilizer was set at approximately 1—2/3 units of noseup trim and the rudder and aileron trim spirals indicated approximately neutral trim at impact.
Attempts were made to determine whether there had been a flight control failure prior to impact. Many components of the aircraft's flight control
