ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed L-049E-46 Constellation N2735A Charleston-Kanawha County Airport, WV (CRW)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Tuesday 12 May 1959
Time:15:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic CONI model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Lockheed L-049E-46 Constellation
Operator:Capital Airlines
Registration: N2735A
MSN: 1978
First flight:
Total airframe hrs:29589
Engines: 4 Wright R-3350 (972TC18DA3)
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 6
Passengers:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 38
Total:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 44
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Charleston-Kanawha County Airport, WV (CRW) (   United States of America)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Pittsburgh-Greater Pittsburgh Airport, PA (PIT/KPIT), United States of America
Destination airport:Charleston-Kanawha County Airport, WV (CRW/KCRW), United States of America
Flightnumber: 983
Narrative:
Capital flight 983 touched down on the Charleston runway 32. The captain found braking to be ineffective and chose to groundloop the aircraft. During this manoeuvre the Constellation skidded and slid down a steep embankment. The aircraft caught fire.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's action of landing the aircraft too fast on the wet runway under conditions conducive to aquaplaning, making early deceleration impossible. An additional factor was the poor co-ordination of the crew throughout the approach and landing."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Runway excursion

Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest Circular 62-AN/57 (124-126)


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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Pittsburgh-Greater Pittsburgh Airport, PA to Charleston-Kanawha County Airport, WV as the crow flies is 261 km (163 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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