_ 11 _
Economics could have been a factor in departing Pueblo in the face of a critical weather picture rather than remaining overnight. laying over would have obligated the carrier to furnish lodging and two additional meals to 25 persons. The total cost of this has been estimated at about $250.
The action of the captain in getting so far into a bad situation could be attributable to indifference to elementary rules of flight safety, coupled with severe economic compulsion.
Captain Epps was highly experienced with 15,000 hours of piloting, 9,000 of it in DC—3's. This, combined with the weather briefings he obtained, should have alerted him to the fact that by decreasing altitude as he did he would be staying in clouds, with below freeZing temperatures and severe icing conditions. The changing of altitude from 9,000 feet to 7,000 feet early in the flight because of icing appears to have been the start of his trouble. He could safely have gone elsewhere: landing in the panhandle section of Texas (at Amarillo) or a diversion to the east (Fort Worth-Dallas) would haVe been an understandable and safe course of action.
Certainly there was nothing lacking in ground help; personnel of Air Route Traffic Control went to the greatest possible lengths in helping and in getting others to help. The overall effort displayed by ground personnel and the military during the latter pontion of this flight is distinctly praiseworthy.
Conclusion
This accident was a conSiderable length of time in the making and was fully preventable. The facts show that operational supervision demanding compliance with regulations was completely lacking and that Captain Epps demonstrated disregard for the Civil Air Regulations. The flight went to and beyond its pOint of safe diverSion despite exemplary efforts by FAA personnel to help. This captain pressed on to complete a mission long after good judgment called for discontinuing the flight.
The inevitable conclusion is that economic factors rather than the basic principles of safe flight were dominant.§
Probable Cause
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the captain"s poor judgment in continuing into known and dangerous iCing condi— tions.
BY THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD: /5/ JAMES R. DURFEE Chairman
/s/ CHAN GURNEY_§Vice Chairman) [s/ HARMAR D. DENNY (Megber) /s/ G. JOSEPH MINETTI (Member)
5/ The RAA imposed civil penalties against General Airways on April 3, 1959, for Violation of CAR #2.48 (c) l, 2 and 3, (duty time) and CAR 42.7l(b) (takeoff weight).
