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- The weather conditions which existed were accurately forecast by both the United States Weather Bureau and by United's meteorologists.
- The runways at the Chicago Municipal Airport were in a slippery condition.
- Notwithstanding this condition, the east-west runway was sufficiently long and was adequate for a landing under the prevailing wind and weather conditions and had been used by a number of pilots landing at about this time.
- The northwest runway was limited in length by a railroad embankment and a landing on it under the existing wind and weather conditions would permit little, if any, margin of safety.
- Captain Scott cannot be adversely criticized for descending through the overcast for a landing, and United's dispatcher at Chicago cannot be adversely criticized for permitting him to do so.
- United 21 received a traffic clearance from the Air Traffic Control Tower operator permitting the use of either the northwest or the east-west runway.
- At 5:41 p.m., United 21 reported contact at an altitude of 900 feet above the ground near the Chicago range station.
- At the time Captain Scott broke out of the overcast he had accumulated a quantity of ice on his windshield which impaired his vision sufficiently to cause him to circle the airport for the purpose of clearing his windshield.
- After flying for a short period over, and in the vicinity of, the airport under the overcast, he reported to the Airport Control Tower that he
