OPERATIONAL DATA
At the time of the accident Eastern Air Lines, Inc., a Delaware corporation with headquarters in New York City, was operating as an air carrier under a certificate of public convenience and necessity and an air carrier operating certificate, both issued pursuant to the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended. These certificates authorized the corporation to fly persons, property and mail between various points in the United States, including Washington, D.C., and Columbia, S.C.
Aircraft NC 25647, a Douglas DC3, was purchased by Eastern Air Lines on June 8, 1940. It had been flown approximately 21,154 hours of which slightly more than 6000 had been since the last overhaul. The engines were Wright Cyclone G202A with total times of 8,163 and 11,662 hours for left and right respectively and 525 hours each since the last overhaul. The aircraft had been flown approximately 23 hours since the last check. At the time of departure from Washington the total weight was under that permissible and this load was disposed with acceptable limits relative to the center of gravity of the aircraft. The aircraft war properly certificated.
The A-26, Army serial No. 44-35553, was a high performance, twin-engine plane. Military records indicate that it was in an airworthy condition.
The crew of the DC3 consisted of Captain Gaston D. Davis, ager 35, of Miami, Fla., First Officer Norman L. Martindale, age 25, of Coral Gables, Fla., and Flight Attendants Enoch Eather and Peggy Avant. The captain and first officer were properly certificated and qualified for the duties of this flight.
First Lieutenant Stephen G. Jones, age 24, a rated military pilot assigned to the USAAF Base at Florence, S.C., had flown about 1400 hours of which some 300 had been in A-26 aircraft. He held a commercial pilot certificate issued by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. Lieutenant Jones was accompanied by two enlisted crew members.
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