Page "Eastern Air Lines Flight 66" Paragraph 5

The accident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ), which published its final report on March 12, 1976.

In that report, the NTSB determined the following probable cause for the accident :" The aircraft's encounter with adverse winds associated with a very strong thunderstorm located astride the ILS localizer course, which resulted in high descent rate into the non-frangible approach light towers.

The flight crew's delayed recognition and correction of the high descent rate were probably associated with their reliance upon visual cues rather than on flight instrument reference.

However, the adverse winds might have been too severe for a successful approach and landing even had they relied upon and responded rapidly to the indications of the flight instruments.