Douglas DC-3-313A – NC25691

Incident Overview

Date: Monday 12 December 1949

Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-3-313A

Owner/operator: Capital Airlines

Registration Number: NC25691

Location: 0,6 km SE off Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA) – ÿ United States of America

Phase of Flight: Approach

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 23

Component Affected: Aircraft StructureAircraft Structure

Investigating Agency: CABCAB

Category: Accident

On August 16, 2023, a commercial airline flight, Capital Airlines Flight 500, experienced a significant incident while attempting to land at Washington-National Airport (DCA) due to deteriorating weather conditions. The flight began its journey from Memphis to Washington-National Airport via Norfolk and Newport News. After takeoff from Newport News, the aircraft ascended to 4,000 feet, and the crew reported over Richmond at 19:10. Due to rapidly declining visibility and landing minimums, the flight was instructed to hold, and the aircraft was cleared to descend to 3,500 feet. The flight was then cleared to descend to 1,500 feet and to commence its landing approach. Approximately 410 gallons of fuel remained, and weather conditions at the alternate airports were still above landing minimums. The flight ultimately left the outer marker, 5 miles south of Runway 36, and then deviated to the right from the center line. The GCA operator alerted the pilot to a sharp rightward drift, resulting in stalling at an altitude too low to recover. The aircraft struck the Potomac River, leaving a nose-down, left-turning attitude.On August 16, 2023, a commercial airline flight, Capital Airlines Flight 500, experienced a significant incident while attempting to land at Washington-National Airport (DCA) due to deteriorating weather conditions. The flight began its journey from Memphis to Washington-National Airport via Norfolk and Newport News. After takeoff from Newport News, the aircraft ascended to 4,000 feet, and the crew reported over Richmond at 19:10. Due to rapidly declining visibility and landing minimums, the flight was instructed to hold, and the aircraft was cleared to descend to 3,500 feet. The flight was then cleared to descend to 1,500 feet and to commence its landing approach. Approximately 410 gallons of fuel remained, and weather conditions at the alternate airports were still above landing minimums. The flight ultimately left the outer marker, 5 miles south of Runway 36, and then deviated to the right from the center line. The GCA operator alerted the pilot to a sharp rightward drift, resulting in stalling at an altitude too low to recover. The aircraft struck the Potomac River, leaving a nose-down, left-turning attitude.

Description

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: “The stalling of the aircraft at an altitude too low to permit a recovery.”