– 3 –
1.5 Crew information
Captain William B. Zeng, age 47, held airline transport pilot certificate No. 22015-40 with ratings for DC-3, DC-4, DC-6/7, DC-8, Martin 202/404, Lockheed Constellation, and Lockheed L-188, and commercial privileges for airplane single engine land. He had a total pilot time of 19,160 hours, including 916 hours in the DC-8. He had been rated in the DC-8 on January 8, 1962, and passed his last proficiency check on January 24, 1964. His FAA first-class medical certificate was dated August 27, 1963.
First Officer Grant R. Newby, age 39, held airline transport pilot certificate No. 380237 with ratings in the Martin 202/404 and commercial privileges for airplane single engine land. He had total pilot time of 10,734 hours, including 2,404 hours in the DC-8. His last proficiency check was accomplished on December 4, 1963, and his FAA first-class medical certificate was dated January 28, 1964. He was the first officer and flying another DC-8, N8603, which was upset near Houston, Texas, on November 9, 1963. On that occasion control of the aircraft was lost at approximately 19,000 feet but recovery was accomplished by approximately 5,000 feet. He was restored to flying status on November 21, 1963, and flew 214 hours on 20 separate trips since then.
Pilot/Engineer Harry Idol, age 39, held airline transport pilot certificate No. 385961 with ratings in the Martin 202/404, and commercial privileges for airplane single engine land and multi-engine sea. He was a certificated flight instructor and also held flight engineer certificate No. 1546386. He had accumulated a total pilot time of 8,300 hours, including 1,069 in the DC-8 as pilot/engineer. His FAA first-class medical certificate was dated September 23, 1963.
Flight Attendant Grover W. Flowers, age 36, was employed on October 9, 1950, and received his last recurrent training on December 22, 1963.
Flight Attendant Barbara D. Norman, age 21, was employed on November 30, 1962, and received her last recurrent training on January 2, 1964.
Flight Attendant Tove E. Jensen, age 24, was employed on April 5, 1963, and received her last recurrent training on May 23, 1963.
Flight Attendant Mary Ann Thomas, age 21, was employed on July 26, 1963, and received her last recurrent training on August 3, 1963.
The flight crew arrived in Mexico City at 2205 on February 23, after accumulating 5:42 hours flight time and 8:35 hours duty time. Following a layover of 24:55 hours they originated Flight 304. The four flight attendants boarded the aircraft at New Orleans.
1.6 Aircraft information
The aircraft was a Douglas DC-8-21, S/N 45428, which was delivered to EAL on May 22, 1960, with a total aircraft time of 12.30. At the time of the accident the aircraft had been flown 11,340 hours, and had four Pratt & Whitney JT4A-9 engines installed as follows:
