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After a preliminary examination of the damaged parts, it was decided to remove the airplane to a hangar on the Lambert-St. Louis Municipal Airport where a more complete examination could be made. The examination was completed on December 13, 1940, and the airplane was released to American Airlines.
Public Hearing
In connection with the investigation of the accident a public hearing was held in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 18 and 19, 1940. G. Grant Mason, Jr., Member of the Board, acted as Presiding Examiner, assisted by Robert W. Chrisp, Attorney of the Board, as Associate Examiner. The following personnel of the Safety Bureau of the Board participated in the hearing: Jerome Lederer, Director; Frank E. Caldwell, Chief, Investigation Division; Paul Garman, Air Safety Specialist in Meteorology; and Raymond P. Parshell, Air Safety Investigator.
At the hearing all of the evidence available to the Board was presented, forty-nine exhibits were introduced, and thirty-one witnesses testified, including witnesses from the vicinity of the accident and experts in various technical subjects involved in the investigation.
While the examiners and the representatives of the Safety Bureau were the only ones designated to ask questions directly of any witness, the Presiding Examiner, acting under instruction of
