On March 19, 1954, a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (registration 51-7993) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Lothian, United States of America in flight. 18 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It was determined that weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident and that the crew should never start the flight under VFR rules. While cruising under VFR rules in IFR conditions, the crew lost control of the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
While cruising under VFR in poor weather, the crew requested IFR clearance. Awaiting permission, the pilot lost control, causing the aircraft to dive into the ground near Lothian, Maryland. All 18 occupants died. Official findings cited poor weather and improper VFR operation.
Accident Summary
An airplane operating under visual flight rules (VFR) in poor weather conditions experienced a loss of control, resulting in a crash near Lothian, Maryland, approximately 14 miles east of Andrews Air Force Base. The crew had contacted air traffic control to request permission to continue the flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) while awaiting clearance. During this interval, the pilot-in-command lost control of the aircraft, which entered a dive and impacted the ground. All 18 occupants on board were killed.
Official Findings
According to the official investigation, the accident was attributed to the decision to operate the flight under VFR rules in poor weather conditions. The findings stated that weather conditions were poor at the time and that the crew should not have initiated the flight under VFR. While cruising under VFR in conditions that required IFR, the crew lost control of the aircraft.
Probable cause
It was determined that weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident and that the crew should never start the flight under VFR rules. While cruising under VFR rules in IFR conditions, the crew lost control of the aircraft.