Statuts: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Date: | lundi 12 décembre 1949 |
Heure: | 20:41 |
Type/Sous-type: | Douglas DC-3-313A |
Compagnie: | Capital Airlines |
Immatriculation: | NC25691 |
Numéro de série: | 2256 |
Année de Fabrication: | 1940 |
Heures de vol: | 27396 |
Moteurs: | 2 Wright R-1820-G102A |
Equipage: | victimes: 2 / Ã bord: 3 |
Passagers: | victimes: 4 / Ã bord: 20 |
Total: | victimes: 6 / Ã bord: 23 |
Dégats de l'appareil: | Perte Totale |
Conséquences: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
Lieu de l'accident: | 0,6 km (0.4 milles) SE de Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA) ( Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
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Phase de vol: | En approche (APR) |
Nature: | Transport de Passagers Nat. |
Aéroport de départ: | Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, VA (PHF/KPHF), Etats-Unis d'Amérique |
Aéroport de destination: | Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), Etats-Unis d'Amérique |
Numéro de vol: | 500 |
Détails:Capital Airlines Flight 500 departed Memphis for a flight to Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA) via Norfolk and Newport News. At 18:43 the DC-3 took off from Newport News en route to Washington and climbed to its cruising altitude of 4,000 feet. The crew reported over Richmond at 19:10, and was then cleared by Air Route Traffic Control to proceed at 8,000 feet to the Clifton Intersection, which is 32 miles southwest of the Washington National Airport. By the time that the flight arrived over Clifton, however, ceiling and visibility at Washington were below landing minimums, so instructions were given to the flight to hold. Approximately 410 gallons of fuel remained on board, and weather conditions at the alternate airports of Richmond and Norfolk were remaining well above landing minimums. At 20:25 weather was reported to be just enough for landing: the ceiling was 400 feet variable, and the visibility was 3/4 of a mile. The flight was cleared to descend to 3,500 feet in the holding pattern. While the visibility was increasing to 1,5 miles restricted by light rain and fog, the flight was cleared to descend to 1,500 feet and to commence its landing approach. At 20:38, the flight reported leaving the outer marker, five miles south of the end of runway 36, at which time it was cleared by the tower to land.
When the flight was 1,5 miles out, it began to deviate to the right from the center line. The GCA operator advised the flight that it was drifting sharply to the right, and indicated that it had gone 1,500 feet off course. While manoeuvring back to the left, the aircraft was stalled at too low an altitude to effect recovery. The aircraft struck the water of the Potomac River, left wing and nose first, in a steep nose down, left turning attitude.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The stalling of the aircraft at an altitude too low to permit a recovery."
Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: | CAB |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Accident number: | final report | Download report: | Final report
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Sources:
» CAB File No: 1-0150
Photos
Plan
Ce plan montre l'aéroport de départ ainsi que la supposée destination du vol. La ligne fixe reliant les deux aéroports n'est pas le plan de vol exact.
La distance entre Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, VA et Washington-National Airport, DC est de 196 km (122 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Les informations ci-dessus ne représentent pas l'opinion de la 'Flight Safety Foundation' ou de 'Aviation Safety Network' sur les causes de l'accident. Ces informations prélimimaires sont basées sur les faits tel qu'ils sont connus à ce jour.