Despite efforts by the local fishing community, no survivors were found. Instead, only torn body parts and passengers' belongings were retrieved. Only four intact bodies were recovered from the Pacific waters 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Authorities believe that the crash was caused by a horizontal stabilizer problem.
The jackscrew recovered from the Flight 261 crash site had damaged threads and metal shavings. By Jan. 31, it had completed 10 and found nothing. Further investigation has found sloppy work and improperly inspected parts at the factory of the crashed plane. The Douglas Aircraft Co., where the plane was built, had been struggling financially. An FAA audit found problems throughout the production line.