1.10 Aerodrome and Ground Facilities
Neither the field investigation nor the public hearing revealed any facts which would indicate that aerodrome or ground facilities were in any way contributory to this accident.
1.11 Flight Recorder
EAL 663 was not equipped nor required to be equipped with a flight recorder.
PAA 212 was equipped with an operating Lockheed Model 109C serial No. 188 flight data recorder. From an examination of the flight record the heading parameter trace appeared to be inscribed incorrectly relative to its position on the foil. It was discovered that a replacement servo amplifier unit input signal lead had been inadvertently switched at the terminal posts, resulting in a 180-degree phase reversal of the output to the stylus drive. (See Attachment #1.)
The readout indicated no significant variation in any of the four parameters until five minutes and ten seconds prior to touchdown. At this point for ten seconds duration, a pushover maneuver is indicated by negative acceleration increment up to l/2-g magnitude followed by a positive acceleration force of lesser magnitude before returning to normal. During this period variations also transpired in the other three parameters which coincide with the avoidance maneuver described by the crew i.e., heading change to the right, increase in airspeed and decrease in altitude.
1.12 Wreckage
The wreckage of EAL 663 was located by Sonar Soundings on the ocean floor at a water depth of 70-80 feet. The location of the crash site was 13 nautical miler southeast of the JFK Airport. (See Attachment #2.) Wreckage distribution was confined generally to an area 125 yards wide and 400 yards long.
Over 60 percent of the aircraft was recovered, including portions of all major components. The investigation revealed no evidence which would indicate failure or malfunction of the aircraft's powerplants, systems, or structural components prior to impact.
The fuselage components from the area below the reference plane were extensile fragmented. This included the heavily constructed center section containing the front, center, and rear spars. A portion of the fuselage nose section top skin was recovered torn aft and upwards and the nose section was crushed and torn. The right side crew entry door was crushed and torn from the forward leading edge, aft and upward. All four engine power cases were recovered from an area 30 yards square, 350 yards from the main wreckage area, on a bearing of approximately 220 degrees.
All the control surfaces including trim tabs were recovered, damaged but wit no indication of pre-impact malfunction or failure. All of the control cables recovered exhibited complete separation and all strands were necked down at the separation points.
All the landing gears ware recovered, separated front their attachment point The retract actuating cylinders were in the retract position. Both main landing gears had engine oil cooler core material imbedded between the inner brake assessed and between the oleo piston and the torque links.
