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It appears probable that the aircraft's speed was reduced during the thunderstorm activity; this would account for the time of the crash being a few minutes after the aircraft should have passed the vicinity. 3eing some 15 miles to one side of the planned course may well have been an attempt to avoid the worst of the weather as indicated by airborne radar. There is no explanation as to why this much deviation from the airway was not reported; possibly it was because of stress of the circumstances.
Pilot competence, as indicated by company and other records, appears to have been of high quality. Both pilots were well experienced generally and specifically on this particular model aircraft
This and other seemingly similar air disasters have led the Board to initiate a series of conferences with other government agencies and with industry to better both the currency and accuracy of flash advisories (weather) and to impress their importance on the flying public. These conferences are now in the exploratory stage and are aimed at the development of now procedures designed to assure the reception of severe weather bulletins by those flights which could come within influence of the severe weather.
Probable Cause
The Board is unable to determine the probable cause of this accident. However, circumstances suggest control difficulty of an undetermined nature during passage through an active developing line of thunderstorms.
BY THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD:
/s/ WHITNEY GILLILLAND
Chairman
/s/ CHAN GURNEY
Vice Chairman
/s/ JOSEPH MINETTI
Member
/s/ ALAN S. BOYD
Member
/s/ J. S. BRAGDON
Member
