- 2 -
A public hearing was held at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 23, 1941, Donald W. Nyrop, an attorney for the Board, presided as examiner and the following personnel of the Safety Bureau participated in the hearing: Jerome Lederer, Director; W. K. Andrews, Chief, Investigation Section; W. E. Koneczny, Air Safety Specialist in Aircraft Structures; Allen P. Bourden, Senior Air Safety Investigator; and H. V. Shebat, Air Safety Investigator.
All of the evidence available to the Board at the time was presented at the hearing. Testimony was given by 17 witnesses and 19 exhibits were received in evidence. While the examiner and the representatives of the Safety Bureau were the only ones designated to ask questions directly of the witnesses, the examiner, acting under instructions of the Board, announced at the opening of the hearing that any person who had any evidence, questions or suggestions to be presented for consideration in the proceeding might submit them in writing to the examiner. One question was submitted and was asked of the appropriate witness.
Upon the basis of all of the evidence disclosed by the investigation, the Board now makes its report in accordance with the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended.
II.
SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE
Air Carrier
At the time of the accident, PCA was an air carrier operating under currently affective certificates of public convenience and necessity and air currently operating certificates. These certificates authorized it to engage in air transportation with respect to persons, property and mail over ***
