Gillam Survey
Aircraft Parts Recovered
Having received permission from United States Forest Service personnel to remove parts of the wreckage for research, TIGHAR members Bill Carter and John Clauss extricated the following sixteen artifacts for laboratory study:
2-9-A-1 Surface covering fragment 14.6cm x 9.6cm x 1mm.

Possible floor covering material fragment, but inconsistent with known floor covering examples recovered. Orange in color, with one 2cm wide band along one edge darker from apparent protection by another object overlaying it and protecting it from deterioration by exposure to light and other elements. Possibly rubber or linoleum, this fragment shows evidence of a blue/greenish residue that appears to match the color of the identified floor covering. It is possible that this fragment is from a mat that was lying on, or adhered to, the blue-green floor covering.

2-9-A-2 Surface covering fragment 9.5cm x 5.5cm x 1mm

This blue/green surface covering (flooring?) material fragment, possibly linoleum, features one edge that has curled under.

2-9-A-3 Foil fragment 2.5cm x 2cm

A fragment of aluminum foil insulation/vapor barrier.

2-9-A-4 Wooden assembly fragment 29cm x 1.5cm x 1.5cm

A section of thin wood veneer, that covered a portion of a cabin wall, nailed to a tacking strip mounted under cabin window.

2-9-A-5 Leather fragment 15cm x 10cm

This fragment of leather or artificial leather is dark brown in color.

2-9-A-6 Channel fragment 22.6cm x 4.8cm x 1mm

Found lying loose in the drainage, this aluminum “U” channel section of an unknown structural member is coated on all surfaces with blue protective paint, contains remnants of 3 ferrous screws, remnants of 16 sheared rivets, and features two manufactured folded edges of 2.5cm.

2-9-A-7 Heater duct 25cm x 19cm x 1mm

This composite structure of Alclad and non-Alclad aluminum has some intact rivets and screws as well as remnants of an adhesive and blue protective paint. It was removed from the starboard side of the fuselage near the floor.

2-9-A-8 Flooring corner 22.3cm x 14.6cm x 1.5cm

This floor corner fragment includes aluminum framing coated with a blue protective paint, plywood, blue-green floor covering material, and two flooring nails.

2-9-A-9 Dado 89cm x 15cm x 1mm
This object, removed from the starboard side of the fuselage just aft of the main beam near the floor, is a single lightweight aluminum sheet that includes a cup holder, a 180 degree 2cm flange on the bottom edge, and a slightly rolled edge on the top. Ten slot-head mounting screws along the bottom edge remain attached, and areas of blue protective paint remain.
2-9-A-10 Dado 74.5cm x 14cm (tapering to 9cm) x 1mm

The eight slot-head mounting screws holding this object in place were removed allowing for the careful extraction of a complete, isolated, structure. Taken from the starboard side of the fuselage just above the heater duct, it stretched from the cockpit bulkhead to a point just forward of the main beam. This lightweight aluminum sheet features a cup holder, and is coated on interior surfaces with blue protective paint. Two centimeters of the bottom edge is bent over 180 degrees, through which the screws are attached to the underlying structure.

2-9-A-11 Heater duct 51.5cm x 12.5cm x 1mm

Removed from the starboard side of the fuselage near the floor, this flattened duct section consists of Alclad and non-Alclad aluminum sandwiching asbestos. Long edges are bent into a 90 degree flange and an 180 degree flange respectively.

2-9-A-12 Flooring section 25cm x 13cm

A section of wooden flooring removed from under the auxiliary fuel tank.

2-9-A-13 Window frame 11cm x 3cm

Aluminum edging—probably part of a window frame.

2-9-A-14 Dado/Heater Duct/Asbestos 1.4m x .6m

Removed from behind the auxiliary fuel tank, this composite structure of Alclad and non-Alclad aluminum is a section of heater duct covered with heavy asbestos matting and a lightweight aluminum dado. Rivets, screws and remnants of blue protective paint remain.

2-9-A-15 Glass fragment 6.7cm x 4.2cm x 2mm

Predominantly clear in character, this shard has a slight greenish hue. The thickness of the fragment suggests it may be from the cockpit windows, but the subtle green coloring is puzzling. Another possibility of origin for this piece may be an object that was carried aboard.

2-9-A-16 Glass fragment 9cm x 6cm x 1mm

This glass is clear and features a slight curvature with one finished edge. Probably from a cabin window (Lockheed part number 40522), the type of glass and the 1/16th inch thickness match the specifications for early Electra cabin windows. These windows contain the only curved glass in the aircraft, with the exception of the landing light covers in the nose.


Introduction Purpose Background Research Fieldwork Site Description Aircraft Parts Recovered Interpretation Research Results
Eligibility for National Register Acknowledgements Bibliography Appendix 1: Site Map Appendix 2: Lockheed Electra Appendix 3: Putative Heat Shield Appendix 4: Putative Heat Shield/Lockheed 10B Appendix 5: NC-14915 & WSC-146

About TIGHAR Join TIGHAR TIGHAR Projects TIGHAR Publications Contract Services
The TIGHAR Store TIGHAR Forum Contact TIGHAR TIGHAR Home

TIGHAR logo

Copyright 2021 by TIGHAR, a non-profit foundation. No portion of the TIGHAR Website may be reproduced by xerographic, photographic, digital or any other means for any purpose. No portion of the TIGHAR Website may be stored in a retrieval system, copied, transmitted or transferred in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, digital, photographic, magnetic or otherwise, for any purpose without the express, written permission of TIGHAR. All rights reserved.

Contact us at: info@tighar.org  •   Phone: 610.467.1937   •   JOIN NOW