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Navy aircraft reported seeing an orange-colored fire at approximately the 2,000-foot level on the northeast side of Great Sitkin Island. This was later confirmed to be the burning wreckage of the missing aircraft.
Civil Aeronautics Board investigators arrived at Adak the following morning at 0600. Conferences were immediately initiated with officials of Reeve Aleutian Airways, the United States Navy, and the Federal Aviation Agency. The trip from Adak to Great Sitkin Island was made early the morning of September 26. Because of sea conditions and the rugged coastline of the island, this trip necessitated the use of a U. S. Navy tugboat, the USCG CLOVER, a small motor launch, and finally, rubber rafts for beaching. After landing, a detachment of Marines guided the party to the accident scene.
Great Sitkin Island is composed of volcanic rock which rises from the ocean to a height of 5,740 feet. The island is approximately 14 miles wide in any direction. The wreckage was located on the northeast side of the island at an elevation of 2,100 feet on a 30-degree slope. It was determined that at impact the aircraft was making a right climbing turn and that it struck the mountain when heading 285 degrees magnetic. Initial contact with the sloping ground was made by the left outer wing panel followed in sequence by the left horizontal stabilizer, the Nos. 1 and 2 powerplants, the fuselage, and the Nos. 3 and 4 powerplants. The empennage separated from the aircraft and remained in the initial impact area; all four propellers were found in this area. Wreckage was distributed over a distance of all feet. Engines Nos. 2 and 3 were found in a ravine 400 feet below and to the right of the main wreckage.
The forward section of the fuselage, including the cockpit and nose section, and the right wing were destroyed by impact forces and the fire which followed. Fire seriously damaged the left wing, left landing gear and housing, and the No. 1 engine. All landing gears were retracted when the accident occurred.
An examination of the propeller domes of Nos. 1 and 2 propellers showed that the blades of these propellers were positioned 18 and 23 degrees, respectively, from their low-pitch stops. These readings indicated that the engines were developing power at impact. Done readings of the other two propellers could not be obtained.
Readings of all instruments recovered were determined to be unreliable. No evidence was found which indicated that a malfunction of the aircraft or its components had occurred or that fire had occurred prior to impact. Examination of the company's maintenance records showed the aircraft to be in an airworthy condition for this flight.
It was further determined that the pilot, copilot, and flight engineer were in their respective seats with their safety belts buckled, and that all passengers were seated with their seat belts fastened at impact. No additional information of value was obtained at the accident site.
On September 24, 1959, at the time of the accident, the weather was as follows: Great Sitkin Island was located in a col area with high pressure cells to the north and south and low pressure areas to the east and west. One
