2018 March 31 - Fifth Expedition

I made a fifth trip to the crash site of Flight 655 in early Spring 2018, mostly because the earlier visits were much later in the year when ground cover and vegetation were thick. More of the debris field was visible this visit, and I was in awe of just how debris existed at the site.

Upslope portion of the site, with fragments mostly from the forward part of the aircraft.
#2 propeller along with parts from the flight deck and forward section of the airplane. Southwestern (upslope) quadrant of the crash site.
Nose landing gear strut.
The radio rack was located on the left side of the aircraft just behind the captain' seat. The marker receiver and audio selector here are items H and J in the following diagram.
Pages from Texas International's pilot's manual showing the location of the radio rack and associated equipment.
The south (upslope) portion of the crash site, from the east side looking towards the west.
NLG drag strut.
The top of the fuselage came off in one continuous piece, from just behind the main entry door to the dorsal fin. That part is in the foreground, with the empennage in the background.
The site consists of several large pieces of wreckage (fuselage crown, empennage section sans horizontal stabilizers, #2 engine nacelle, #1 engine, and large sections of wing) and an extensive debris field.
It was on an earlier trip to the site when I first noticed the first officer's control column. It still gives me pause when I see it...
Looking downslope towards the probable impact point. The empennage is prominent in the center, with the #2 nacelle on the left and the fuselage crown on the right.
Main entry door actuator.
The part number was still clear...
...so I verified the part number in the catalog. The actuator is index 23 (24-31 exploded view).
Fuselage crown, from the aft end looking forward.
A portion of a passenger seat and one of the bins from the galley.
The airplane impacted the mountain at 188 knots (216 mph). The violence of the crash is evident with how fragmented the Convair is.
Another view of the crown. The aft service door is prominent in the foreground.
The forward end of the fuselage crown. This end has been moved around by humans since my first trip here 20 years ago. The forward end has been turned over, twisting the wreckage.
A part of the right side upper fuselage, with a portion of the main entry door still attached.
A section of the main entry steps (lower portion).
The #1 engine, a Rolls-Royce Dart, lays downslope of the main wreck.
An elevator and a section of fuselage with the airplane's registration number.
#1 engine. It's heavily damaged, but still somewhat intact.
#1 engine, with its associated prop in the background. Two blades have been removed from each prop assembly, presumably by the original NTSB investigation. Witness marks created by the impact would have provided clues to the power settings; verifying that the engines were producing cruise power at the time of the crash.
#1 engine mount truss.
Looking upslope at the main wreck site.
Right wing tip. This is near the far north (downslope) end of the crash site. Its location tells me that only an instant passed from the time the airplane first hit trees to when it impacted the mountain itself.
The largest section of wing from the Convair.