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across the airport and that occasionally he was unable to see the light on a hangar about 1/4 mile distant. He heard the aircraft approach the field and first saw it directly overhead flying toward the southwest at an altitude of about 1000 feet. He then lost sight of it because of fog. He heard it as it turned away from the airport during its 360-degree turn and then did not hear it for about four minutes. He next heard the aircraft as it approached the northeast end of the northeast-southwest runway. He testified that when the airplane came within his vision it was over the runway, flying "not so fast" but "high" and that almost immediately it dropped suddenly to the ground from an altitude of about 30 feet and then bounced into the air and disappeared from his view. He also testified that the aircraft was visibly nose-down at the time of first contact but he was unable to estimate the angle at which the aircraft contacted the ground or how high it bounced.
Mr. Foote did not recall seeing any smoke, as described by Captain Cann and First Officer Loveless, lying over or drifting across the northeast end of the runway. He further stated that although he had from time to time, before the accident, been able to discern boundary lights on the southeast end of the field about 3000 feet distant, but because of fog, he could not see those lights at the time of the accident.
At 2:16 a.m. the following weather report was issued at Savannah. "Special observation, ceiling unlimited, sky clear, visibility zero, dense ground fog, temperature 68, dew point 65, wind calm, altimeter setting 29.97."
Investigation disclosed that all radio range facilities over the entire route between Washington, D. C., and Jacksonville, Florida, were functioning normally throughout the flight.
Condition of the Wreckage
Inspection of the wreckage revealed that following the failure of the right tire the right wheel had been severely damaged. Its drum was demolished. The right drag strut had broken, allowing the landing gear to fold back. Other parts of this landing gear mechanism indicated that it had been subjected to a severe side thrust. All three blades of the right-hand propeller were bent from contact with the runway. The control mechanism of this propeller was also broken. The right wing tip was scuffed from dragging on the runway and the right aileron was damaged. The left tire had failed and was flat.
The aircraft first contacted the runway on its right wheel. Ten and one-half feet beyond that point the right tire blew out, the wheel broke, and the landing gear partially collapsed. This gear again struck the ground at a point about 16-1/2 feet farther on.
The first contact by the left wheel occurred at a point about 42 feet beyond the point of initial contact. Approximately 36 feet beyond the point of initial contact a mark on the runway made by the tail wheel was evident. This tail wheel mark was to the left of the point at which it would have been if the tail wheel had tracked directly between the two main wheels in the normal manner. It was approximately 6 feet from the projected marks of the left wheel and approximately 12 feet from the marks of the right wheel. The marks on the ground, combined with the captain's statement that he was "angling away" from the parked Army aircraft, indicate that the airplane was turning to the right at the time of first contact. The right propeller first contacted the ground at a point about 27 feet beyond the point of initial contact and marks on the runway extending for a distance of about 42 feet
