Capital Airlines Flight 500 Accident (NC25691)

Flight Details and Departure Capital Airlines Flight 500 originated in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 12, 1949, and proceeded to Norfolk, Virginia, without difficulty. At Norfolk, a new crew consisting of Captain William J. Davis, Copilot Lloyd L. Porter, and Flight Attendant Joseph W. Buell was assigned for the remainder of the trip to Newport News, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Before takeoff, Captain Davis reviewed weather data and contacted the company dispatcher in Washington, who advised that conditions would remain above landing limits until after midnight. The flight departed Norfolk at 1816, arrived at Newport News at 1836, and took off again at 1843 for Washington via Richmond, Virginia, at a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet. On board were 20 passengers, three crew members, 792 pounds of cargo, and 3,000 pounds of fuel. The total aircraft weight was 25,472 pounds, which was 126 pounds over the certificated weight, though the center of gravity remained within limits. ## Approach and Loss of Contact The flight reported over Richmond at 1910 and was cleared by Air Route Traffic Control to proceed at 8,000 feet to the Clifton Intersection, 32 miles southwest of Washington National Airport. By the time the flight reached Clifton, ceiling and visibility at Washington were below landing minimums, and the flight was instructed to hold. Approximately 410 gallons of fuel remained on board, and weather at alternate airports Richmond and Norfolk remained above landing minimums. At 2025, a weather observer at the south end of runway 36 reported a ceiling of 400 feet variable and visibility of 3/4 mile. The control tower cleared one aircraft to land and instructed Flight 500 to descend to 3,500 feet in the holding pattern. The other aircraft landed at 2033 using the instrument landing system (ILS). At 2033, another observation reported a ceiling of 400 feet variable and visibility of 1 1/2 miles restricted by light rain and fog. Immediately after, Flight 500 was cleared to descend to 1,500 feet and commence its landing approach. Five minutes later, at 2038, the flight reported leaving the outer marker, five miles south of the end of runway 36, and was cleared to land. From the holding pattern to the outer marker, the aircraft was observed on ground control approach (GCA) radar scopes in the Washington National Tower, with nothing unusual noted. As the flight passed over the outer marker at 1,500 feet, entering its ILS approach, the GCA operator advised that the approach would be monitored. This message was not acknowledged, so it is unknown whether either pilot was listening to GCA. Initially, the flight path and descent appeared normal. When the aircraft was 4 1/2 miles from its point of landing, it was 200 feet to the right of the intended track, with a good glide. At three miles, it was 50 feet to the right and the glide remained good. At two miles, the aircraft was on the center line and only 25 feet above the glide path. At one and one-half miles, it was on the center line and on the glide path. The flight then 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 then said it had gone 1,500 feet off course. The flight appeared to turn left, proceeding back to the center line, but when within 1,000 feet of the center line and only 1/2 mile from the end of the runway, it disappeared entirely from the scopes. The aircraft was neither seen nor heard by any control tower operators or the weather observer at the end of runway 36. A few minutes after the accident, the runway observer reported a ceiling of 400 feet variable and visibility of 3/4 mile, with light rain and fog, and wind from the south-southwest at nine miles per hour. The aircraft struck the water, left wing and nose first, in a steep nose down, left turning attitude. Both pilots and four passengers were killed, and the aircraft was lost.