Washington DC – Martinsburg

On June 4, 1958 at 01:58 PM, Washington DC – Martinsburg experienced a crash involving Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3), operated by Capital Airlines, with the event recorded near Martinsburg-Eastern West Virginia-Shepherd Field West Virginia.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 33.3%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. A Capital Airlines DC-3 crashed and burned near Martinsburg Airport, Martinsburg, West Virginia, at 1358 on June 4, 1958, injuring the three occupants-an instructor and two pilot-trainees. One trainee, who was flying the aircraft at the time of the accident, died the following day of severe burns. The aircraft was on a training flight from Washington National Airport and was practising takeoffs and landings at Martinsburg Airport. During the pilot's attempt to climb out after abandoning a single-engine approach to runway 8, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area. A crew member was killed while two other occupants were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration N49553, MSN 4820, year of manufacture 1941.